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.
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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