The six-year-old lined up on Merseyside with three wins from four starts over hurdles and possibly unlucky to be unbeaten having fallen on his other start.

A horrendous mistake at the second-last ended his challenge John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle, but he still ran with credit to finish second to one of the most exciting horses in training.

"I was really pleased with him and a little frustrated as well," said McCain.

"We certainly wouldn't have beaten the winner, but I'd loved to have known how close we could have got.

"It wasn't until I saw the pictures that I realised what a massive mistake it was and how well Jason (Maguire) did to stay on him.

"He is a horse who finds plenty off the bridle and I'm not saying we'd have got very close to the winner, but we'd have come a long way clear of the others.

"That's him done for this season and he'll go novice chasing next season."