Hinchy’s Grand Aintree dream
ask. For somebody like me, who has lived here all my life, and has been going to Aintree since I was about 11 years old, it is a dream come true to be able to have a runner in the National.
“How he runs is secondary. It is just ticking the box first of all, having a horse who is good enough to run there. He is very well good enough.”
Hinchy, who is a partner in St Helens-based RushtonHinchy law firm, was brought up and still lives in Birkdale, down the road from where trainer McCain sent out his chasing star to compete in five Grand Nationals.
And, although Hinchy doesn’t know exactly where he got the bug for National Hunt racing, those early days in the 1970s and 80s are when he formed his love of the game.
He has been going to Aintree for more than 30 years and can’t wait to be back this week.
The father of five boys said: “I’m from Birkdale, so we actually live where Red Rum’s yard used to be. And I remember the horses going up the road and being trained on the beach back then.
“As you know, they used to parade the horse on the Southport streets. Five years on the run he ran in the National – and that might just be where I got the bug.
“My grandad used to take me and leave me outside the bookies when he used to have a bet. You don’t really know where the bug for jumps racing comes from but I suppose those things brings your awareness about it as a youngster or a young man. “We used to go to Aintree as 11, 12, 13 year olds and we used to bunk under the Melling Road (fence) and sprint onto the track and watch the racing wherever we were. When we were a little bit older, we used to buy one ticket between a dozen of us and pass it through the fence and get in that way.
“So it is a fair old journey, from doing all that to having a runner in the National. “And we are very, very proud to be doing it. It is unbelievably exciting.
“We grew up like everybody else, normal folk.
“To be able to be lucky enough to enjoy something you are really passionate about and you love is fantastic.