Maguire hoping loyalty pays

With Jason Maguire, the reverse is true.

Honouring a riding commitment with Donald McCain, his principal trainer, cost him the 2007 John Smith's Grand National when Silver Birch, trained by his friend Gordon Elliott, galloped into the Aintree history books.

Yet, looking to the longer-term paid off. Maguire is the third most successful rider in Britain this season. He is on the brink of riding 100 winners for the first time. Only the irrepressible Tony McCoy and Richard Johnson have enjoyed more success.

And the 29-year-old – the nephew of former top jockey Adrian Maguire, Ferdy Murphy's one-time stable jockey in North Yorkshire – hopes to cap a year to remember by winning a belated National on Cloudy Lane for owner Trevor Hemmings.

Sixth two years ago when sent off the 7-1 joint favourite on the back of an eyecatching victory in Doncaster's Grimthorpe Chase, the 10-year-old was travelling well 12 months ago before parting company with Maguire at The Chair, the biggest fence on the course.

"I've had seven rides in the National, completed four times, Cloudy Lane in 2008 was my best finish and I am looking forward to another spin," Maguire told the Yorkshire Post. "The first year, he jumped a little bit too careful for my liking and we never really got into the race.

"Last year, he was going much better – he was having a bit of a cut at the fences – before we parted company.

"I think he's a horse who can win the National; hopefully it is his year.

"My worry is the weather. Though he has won on soft, he wouldn't want it too soft but he's a lot more streetwise. You could say that he's older and wiser – like us all. Well, most of us."

Maguire – in action at Wetherby today – started out in Irish pony races and partnered his first British winner, the Tony Martin-trained Search For Peace, at Cheltenham in November 1999.

He began riding for Gloucestershire trainer

Tom George shortly after coming to Britain and enjoyed a seven-year partnership that yielded a Cheltenham Festival victory in 2002 when Galileo took the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle. Maguire's working relationship with George, which was never contractually formalised, ended in January 2007 when he teamed up with McCain – the son of Ginger, the legendary trainer who masterminded Red Rum's three National victories in the 1970s.

In a year of transition for the jockey, he actually rode Silver Birch at Cheltenham in his National prep race – and Elliott had wanted Maguire to ride the horse, a bargain buy at Doncaster Sales, at Aintree.

But the jockey knew that McCain would provide him with the firepower that would take his career to a new level and that he fancied the chances of the Hemmings-owned Idle Talk.

However, they parted company at the 19th and it was Robbie Power who was the primary beneficiary of a dream spare ride on Silver Birch.

"I was delighted for Gordon, but I'd only just started at Donald's and Silver Birch was a big price," explained Maguire. "I have no regrets. Look at the winners, and fun, we're having.

"A Cheltenham winner two years ago on Whiteoak and a brilliant win this month with Peddlers Cross in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle."

From a Yorkshire perspective, Maguire has become a stalwart of National Hunt racing at Doncaster, Wetherby and Catterick.

The reason is simple, he says. "The racing can be harder in the south, a little bit more competitive and these courses give horses more of a chance to win and build their confidence. I like it – and I like the people."

A modest jockey, Maguire has a sense of fun built into him.

He definitely falls into the "glass half-full" category – particularly when it came to taking up skiing during the big freeze. He always has a smile on his face, which endears him to punters.

He is also extremely grateful to Ginger and Donald McCain for their support and opportunities.

He is delighted that McCain senior and Red Rum will be among the first racing icons to be inducted into the inaugural John Smith's Grand National Legends this Saturday.

Others bestowed this honour include Jenny Pitman, the first woman to train a National winner, and the peerless commentator Sir Peter O'Sullevan.

But, given McCain's Aintree record, will Maguire be asking this icon for some racing tips before going into battle on Cloudy Lane. "Definitely not," he says with smile. "He'd probably think I was taking the mick.

"But, if we do win the big race, and I think we have a great chance, you know that the riding instructions will be all down to him!"