'She did everything' - Beryl McCain, wife of Red Rum's trainer Ginger, remembered following her death aged 88

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Ginger McCain's wife Beryl has been remembered for the huge role she played in one of racing's great dynasties, at the centre of which was legendary three-time Grand National winner Red Rum, following her death at the age of 88.

She had been married to her husband for 50 years until his death in 2011 and had continued to support her son Donald at the family's Cholmondeley stables in Cheshire.

Following her death in the early hours of Saturday morning, the trainer said on Monday: "There would be no Donald McCain Racing or Ginger McCain Racing without Mum. She kept the show on the road. 

"I'm at the Doncaster sales today and while everyone seems to have a tale about having a bollocking off her, there is a lot of respect for what she did. Up until a couple of years ago she was still doing the accounts and things like that. 

"Before that she rode out all the time and actually rode on the track up until her 50s. She used to drive the horsebox – she did everything."

Beryl Harris married Ginger McCain in 1961 in Southport where they had a car showroom, at the back of which was the yard where Red Rum was trained.

The couple drove taxis to supplement the training income in the early years, with the horses trained on Southport beach, the most famous of which was Red Rum, who won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977.

Having moved to Cheshire, Ginger McCain won the National for a fourth time with Amberleigh House in 2004 and his son Donald carried on the family legacy by winning the Aintree showpiece with Ballabriggs in 2011.

Tributes were paid to McCain with a minute's silence before racing at Bangor on Saturday, a fixture at which her son registered his 250th winner at his local course.

"Everyone came out for the minute's silence and the lads wore black armbands and it was a really special day," added McCain. "None of us expected that and it was a lovely gesture. It had only happened that morning, so it had hit us quite quickly."

McCain is survived by her two children Donald Jr and Joanne, who also works at the stable, five grandchildren, Abbie, Ella, Finlay, Toby and Noah, and great grandson Ollie. Funeral arrangements have yet to be made.