Bangor on Dee Racing Club Ltd Sunday 5th September - We're ready to race ...

Our Trainers

We have chosen trainers for the club horses who are clearly on the upward curve of their careers. Their future ambitions match our aims for the club as we look to source horses with a realistic chance in the level of races that our trainers select.

Donald McCain Jnr

Donald was a child when his father was training the Grand National legend Red Rum to win at Aintree three times during the 1970s and learnt to ride on Gambol, his sister Joanne's pony. As a jockey he rode some 40 winners under Rules and rode over the famous Grand National fences several times including a fifth place aboard Harley in the 1992 Fox Hunters' Chase and 17th on Sure Metal in the 1996 Grand National.

En-route to taking over Bankhouse Stables in the picturesque setting of Cholmondeley village in June 2006, Donald worked for Luca Cumani, Sir Micheal Stoute and Oliver Sherwood. The first McCain winner followed swiftly when Bearaway landed a handicap chase at Newton Abbot later that month.

Cloudy Lane has been a flagship for the yard landing a first Cheltenham Festival success for McCain in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Handicap Chase in 2007, contributing to the tally of 40 winners in his first campaign. The following season 58 successes were sent out from Bankhouse Stables including a second Cheltenham Festival success with Whiteoak in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle.

The yard has flourished and expanded under the management of Donald and his upward curve is sure to continue with a ready flow of home-bred stock and new owners contributing to the continuation of the McCain factor.

Evan Williams

"I've been dreaming about winning the National since I was a kid" says Evan Williams. As the trainer was born on the same day as Specify was winning the world's most famous steeplechase back in Arpil1971 it is a fitting ambition.

From a low financial point following the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, Williams changed direction from dairy and beef farming and travelled across to Ireland to purchase a batch of horses to begin training pointers. One year later he was champion point to point trainer.

Williams is able to incorporate his own riding experiences whilst training. He rode at Aintree on several occasions and completed the course when sixth on Dam The Breeze in the 2004 Fox Hunters' Chase, won by Forest Gunner. State of Play has done much to put the Llancarfan trainer on the map with successes in the 2006 Hennessey Gold Cup and 2008 Charlie Hall Chase, the gelding ran a superb race to finish fourth in the Aintree spectacular in April 2009.

Another growing success story, Williams trained 56 winners during the 2007-08 national hunt season. The yard is now home to almost 100 horses. Plans for 2009 include the installation of an equine swimming pool to provide five star training facilities for the equine inmates. Drive and determination provide a firm foundation for future Williams success.