Alner boost as he watches Welsh National victory from hospital bed

By COLIN MACKENZIE

Last updated at 19:46 27 December 2007


Robert Alner, stricken by a

car crash six weeks ago which

has left him in intensive care at

Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, was

able to watch on television as

Miko de Beauchene and Andrew

Thornton won a dramatic Welsh

National in the final stride at Chepstow

yesterday.

Until Thornton forced the Alner chaser ahead

in the shadow of the winning post it had

seemed as if last year's winner Halcon Genelardais

was about to post another heroic victory,

this time under top weight.

Miko de Beauchene

But Thornton, who had wasted over Christmas

to do the required 10st 5lb, summoned one

last effort from his seven-year-old to give Alner

a much needed boost.

A tearful Sally Alner greeted the

bay gelding in the winner's enclosure

and immediately sent a message

to her husband who was

watching on BBC2.

She said: "It's unbelievable — I

just hope Robert saw it. I'd just like

to send a message to him — sorry I

won't see you tonight. I've got to

drive the lorry home."

Today the Alner family hope to

land a wonderful Christmas bonus

with The Listener who takes on

Denman and four other top chasers

in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.

Miko de Beauchene was bought

from France by owner Andrew Wiles

as a two-year-old and the great plan

all along was to win this race.

Wiles, who is getting married today,

said: "Today was the difficult part —

the wedding will be a doddle. It was

always the plan to go for the Welsh

National since he won his novice

chase here. I doubt he will go for the

Grand National, this year anyway."

On a day of high emotion Thornton raised his eyes to the clouds in

a thank you to the gods as the

result of the photograph was

announced. He has been close to

the Alner family for more than 10

years and rode Cool Dawn to win

the 1998 Gold Cup for them.

Yesterday he reflected: "This horse

is very gutsy, very tough. We all wish

Robert could have been here saddling

the horse up but there is no

better tonic for him than this. Coming

to the last I thought I had one

more roll of the dice to get his nose

in front and he just kept going for

me. I was never confident I had

won so I was very happy when I

heard the result."

Unfortunately, there was a sting

in the tail for Thornton who was handed a four-day whip ban (January

7-10 inclusive) for using his

whip with excessive frequency on

Miko de Beauchene.

Halcon Genelardais will not run

in the Grand National either as

connections want to bring him

back to Chepstow for another

crack at the Welsh National.

Naunton Brook made it a strong

gallop and stayed on really well

under David England to finish

fourth with Over The Creek just in

front of him in third place.

Not Left Yet unseated Timmy

Murphy after colliding with the

rails as the field went out on the

final circuit.

The 4-1 favourite Gungadu,

trained by Paul Nicholls,

threatened two fences from home

but was soon beaten and faded.

Just over an hour later Nicholls

was able to celebrate with Manchester

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson

when What A Friend, in

whom Ferguson has a half share,

won the maiden hurdle.

Halcon Genelardais' trainer Alan

King went close to landing the

same big-race double that he

enjoyed 12 months ago as Voy Por

Ustedes easily won the Desert

Orchid Chase at Kempton, beating

Hoo La Baloo by seven lengths.

King, who also scored with Red Flare and Yardbird at Kempton

and with Franchoek at Chepstow,

remains mystified by the poor

showing of My Way de Solzen in the

King George. He has scoped clean

and undergone blood tests which

have revealed nothing.

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