McCain readying Maximilian for chasing debut

Donald McCain’s Maximilian is on course to make his chasing debut in the coming weeks.

The eight-year-old has not been seen since chasing home Apple Away in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle in April 2023.

Prior to that he had won the River Don at Doncaster beating Stay Away Fay, who subsequently went on to win the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival.

Hopes were high he would make his presence felt among either the staying hurdling division or the novice chasers last season, but he was forced to miss the whole campaign.

He is now back in full training, but McCain does not want to put a definite timeframe on his comeback date.

“There’s no set timeline at the moment, but he’s in fast work now,” said McCain.

“I’d love to get him away somewhere before we think about going racing, but he’s coming along fine.

“We brought him back in later than the others as he needs cut in the ground anyway, so he wouldn’t have been running in the autumn.

“It will possibly be just after Christmas or just into the new year when he’ll be racing, I would say. He’ll be going chasing as time is getting on now.

“He only ever does what he has to do at home but he looks great and seems fine, so all is good. He’s just a very straightforward, no frills horse at home.”