Donald McCain eyes Unibet Hurdle double at Haydock after reaching 100 winners

He has set his sights on landing Haydock Park’s Grade Two The New One Unibet Hurdle for the second year running with Navajo Pass this Saturday.

The six-year-old hurdler took the notable scalp of the two-time champion hurdler Buveur D’Air when prevailing 12 months ago under Sean Quinlan.

And while he has failed to hit those heights in two starts so far this season, his trainer is hopeful he can get back on track on his return to Haydock as Brian Hughes, the 2019-20 champion jockey, looks to strengthen his grip on the title race.

McCain, who saddled Ballabriggs to Grand National glory in 2011, said: “Navajo Pass is good. Things haven’t quite worked out for him so far this season but he has come back from Sandown fresh and we are hoping he can go and kick on. We’ll see how we get on. He is not going there in the same form as last year, but we have just got to get him back on track and the signs at home are positive, so fingers crossed.

“He’s worked well this morning and we’re looking forward to seeing how we get on.”

McCain looks set to have a small but select team for Haydock which also includes the promising Richmond Lake who takes his chance in the Grade Two Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle.

The six-year-old, who runs in the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings, will make a notable step up in class here after running away with a novices’ hurdle at Sedgefield on Boxing Day.

McCain said: “Richmond Lake has surprised us a little bit this year and obviously this is a big step up in grade.

“But he’s done nothing wrong and there’s not that many places to go with him.

“We never quite thought we’d be running in Graded races at the start of the season, but it’s Haydock Park and if Mr Hemmings was still around we would definitely be going, so we will go and take them on and see.”

The McCain team reached the 100-winner milestone courtesy of Cenotice’s victory at Newcastle on Tuesday. When asked to reflect on the achievement, the trainer commented: “It was nice to hit 100 winners yesterday.

“It was never a big masterplan really and everyone is just working really hard and keeping their heads down.

“It’s producing the goods and it’s just nice. We were hoping we could sneak there at some point in the season and to be the first to do it in the country is great – but we won’t be getting carried away!”

Meanwhile, Champ appears likely to stick to hurdles for the foreseeable future with Nicky Henderson confirming an outing in Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday week as his next target.

Always highly regarded, the 10-year-old has an impressive strike-rate having won 10 of his 16 races to date but last season ended on a sour note when he was pulled up in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Having undergone back surgery in the off-season, Champ returned to action in the Long Walk Hurdle and proved he retained all his old ability with a stylish success – providing a first Grade One win into the bargain for jockey Jonjo O’Neill jnr.

While he has been given a Gold Cup entry, he is currently second favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle and Henderson said: “At the moment Champ is going to the Cleeve, which sort of suggests he will be going to the Stayers’ Hurdle, but nothing is ever set in stone.

“But, at the moment, that is probably the answer.”