IT may have been a familiar story with the name McCain once again writ large over the John Smith’s Grand National.

But for Aintree’s first family it was a fresh and exciting chapter as trainer Donald McCain followed in the footsteps of father Ginger as Ballabriggs, partnered by jockey Jason Maguire, landed an emotional Grand National success.

The 10-year-old bounded to glory after being near the head of affairs for almost the entire 4m4f of the Aintree marathon. Eventually battling on to beat Oscar Time by two-and-a-quarter lengths to deny amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen a Gold Cup-Grand National double.

Last year’s winner Don’t Push It put up a gallant defence of his crown under champion jockey Tony McCoy to finish 12 lengths further back in third, with National specialist State Of Play, being placed for a third successive year, two lengths back in fourth.

But Grand National day yet again belonged to a McCain.

Having been brought up in Southport when the legend of Ginger and Red Rum was thrust upon National Hunt racing and the world at large in the 1970s – and having worked so closely in the success of Amberleigh House in 2004 – Donald was able to put in his own stamp on a Aintree tale that seems to run and run.

Liverpool put out the welcome mat again for the world’s greatest steeplechase with a sell-out 70,091 basking in the bright sunshine. But the prize was kept firmly at home.

With the Merseyside-born trainer and his family, now based in the Cheshire countryside at Cholmondeley, providing London-born – but Lancastrian-bred since the age of five – owner Trevor Hemmings with a second success in race. All are so familiar with the Aintree course, they are almost part of the fixtures and fittings – which are now much-changed since Red Rum first won 38 years ago.

Bankhouse stable jockey Maguire and the brilliant Ballabriggs may have been at the sharp end of the 4m4f spectacular, but it was very much a team effort.

Unusually the Irish rider entered the winner’s enclosure on foot, having jumped off his exhausted partner to help him recover from his exertions. And Donald had to make the plea with a gate steward ‘I’ve just trained the Grand National winner’ to be let in to join the rest of the team and family.

But they were all together to celebrate a wonderful success.

McCain admitted, unlike his father, he had become a bit ‘Cheltenham-obsessed’ following four Festival wins since taking over the training licence at the Cholmondeley base.

He is certainly much more than just a one-race man. And having already secured a seasonal best 95 winners, he closes in on a first century and sits third in the top trainers’ table. But there was no doubt what it meant to land a ‘home’ victory.

He said: “It’s just fantastic. And to win it for Mr Hemmings as well, this race means as much to him as it does to us. I suppose I am a bit Cheltenham-obsessed in many ways, but then you realise what Aintree means to the north west.

“We’ve always thought this might be an Aintree horse and you only need to see the way he’s taken to this place today.

“Good horses are easy to train. Everything has gone smoothly all year and he had a nice prep at Kelso last time. He’s just an absolute pleasure to deal with, I know he’s won a Grand National, but he is. Jason got off him after the race but he’s all right.”