After twenty five years of going back to Aintree with horses like Wayward Scot, Beacon Time, Kumbi, Imperial Black, Sure Metal, Hotplate and many more, it didn't look like Ginger McCain was going to find another Grand National Winner. And then in the year 2000 a trip to Ireland led Ginger to a horse called Amberleigh House.

Born on the 24th May 1992, and bred in Ireland by Robert McCarthy, the little bay gelding by Bucksin and out off Chancy Gal, had won over hurdles and fences before ending up at the sales and being bought by Ginger for owner John Halewood with the hope of winning a Grand National.

The 2001 Grand National arrived and Amberleigh House was ready to run a big race. and was running well until being knocked out off the race by another horse. The following season he returned to Aintree and put in a superb performance to win the Tote Becher Chase beating Smarty and giving Ginger his first winnerat Aintree since the Red Rum.

Training started for a crack at the 2002 Grand National but the handicapper had other ideas and sadly the horse didn't run, but he did run a day earlier in the Martell Cognac Topham Chase, which is run over just one circuit of the Grand National Course Amberleigh ran a good race to finish ninth..

November 2002 saw a return to Aintree and another crack at the Becher Chase, this time he finished second to Ardent Scout. In April 2003 he lined up for his Second Grand National and ran a brilliant race only to loose second place in the last 100yds to finish third to Monty's Pass.

This season started well with a third and fourth, then a visit to the Becher Chase saw a gallent Amberleigh House finish second to Clan Royal beaten only by a short-head. He had two more races before arriving back at Aintree for the 2004 Grand National.

Amberleigh House and Graham Lee were behind in fourth place as they jumped the last of the thirty fences and then just stayed on gamely like Red Rum and Brian Fletcher in 1973, and slowly but surely they caught the leaders and then passed Clan Royal in the closing strides, and went on to by three lengths.

Amberleigh House made his Grand National debut in 2001, being brought down in a melee at the ninth fence (Canal Turn). Since then Amberleigh House has competed in four more Grand Nationals, ridden by Graham Lee on all four occasions. In total he raced 11 times over the National fences (including races shorter than the Grand National) and never fell. After being pulled up in the 2006 Grand National, Amberleigh House was retired.

Grand National Record
2001 (Brought Down 9th)
2003 Third
2004 Winner
2005 Tenth
2006 Pulled up