McCain opts to take his turn in the Cup

Few if any horses currently in training are more versatile than the hardy seven-year-old campaigner Overturn who swaps Galway for Goodwood tomorrow.

A year ago, Overturn crossed the Irish Sea to claim a lucrative victory in the Guinness Galway Hurdle. It was an early highlight in a superb season for his trainer Donald McCain, who ended the campaign by landing the John Smith's Grand National with Ballabriggs.

McCain is now a considerable force in the training world, though Goodwood has seldom before been on his radar. This week the young trainer, based in Cheshire, had the chance to send habitual front runner Overturn back for another tilt at the Galway Hurdle where he was due to carry the testing burden of 11st 10lbs at the top of the handicap.

No wonder he opted for a more adventurous crack at the Artemis Goodwood Cup. After hard-fought victories from the front in last season's Northumberland Plate and in this year's Chester Cup, the horse has earned his chance at Group 2 level.

If you take this year's Ascot Gold Cup winner Fame and Glory out of the equation, there is little to choose between the best staying handicappers and those who have been regularly campaigned in the Cup races.

The decision was made easier for McCain by rain that fell at Galway early in the week.

He said: "That might have left the ground on the dead side while the ground at Goodwood has dried up. It would have been very difficult to send him back to Galway knowing that the conditions would be against him, especially as he was carrying a massive weight.