Al Dancer proves poignant winner of Grand Sefton at Aintree

Al Dancer was a moving winner of the Boylesports Best Odds Guaranteed On Racing Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree for trainer Sam Thomas and owner Dai Walters.

Thomas and Walters were involved in a helicopter crash on Tuesday in woodland in Llanelidan, near Ruthin, in north Wales. While initially it appeared all passengers had escaped serious injury, 77-year-old Walters is now in intensive care.

Thomas had only had one runner since the accident, with Range, part-owned by Walters, finishing second in a Chepstow bumper on Wednesday. Al Dancer (5-1) was a classy performer in his younger days for Nigel Twiston-Davies, but was in danger of losing his way before joining Thomas.

The grey took to the National fences with aplomb, but had to be brave at the finish as Gesskille came with a late run under Henry Brooke, only to fail by the narrowest of margins.

Thomas is still recovering at home, but his assistant James Standen hoped afterwards that the victory would prove to be a fitting tonic for the team.

He said: “The fire still burns at home and we’ve been trying to for a bit to unlock the key to him. He obviously likes those fences and he was dropping down (the handicap) - it’s nice that one has fallen his way.

“Sam is OK and he was able to pop in and do evening stables last night and stuff, but he’s pretty banged up to be honest. Our fingers are crossed for Dai, everyone is thinking about him.

"Sarah (Llewellyn, daughter) very much wants us to keep going which is what we’ll do and winners like that are what he needs really. All our thoughts are with him and his family and we’re hoping and praying for a speedy recovery.”

Winning jockey Charlie Deutsch added: “All my thoughts are with them (the Walters family) and he’s a wonderful horse. He’s getting on now but he’s really taken to those fences. He’s been revitalised by them and Sam has done a great job, so hopefully it’s given everyone a pick me up.

“It’s not easy for a horse (to compete at this level consistently), they’ve got to be going to the well every time and it’s great that he’s sweetened up.

“When he jumped two out I was pretty happy and he was travelling strongly and he just wandered up the straight. I just wanted to get him over the last two and he was hanging a bit right coming to The Elbow, but when the other horse has come to him he’s battled back gamely. He’s a wonderful horse.”

David Pipe admitted that he’d told the owners of Remastered (8-1) to stay at home, only for the nine year old to warm up for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in some style in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Aintree today.

Remastered arrived here on the back of a patchy campaign last term, having finished down the field on his last start over course and distance at the Randox Grand National Festival in April. However, the combination of a summer holiday and a wind operation certainly seemed to do the trick, as he swept round the bend for home with a commanding lead.

The son of Network stuck on well for a four-length victory under David Noonan which saw his price half to 10-1 for the Newbury feature in three weeks’ time and Pipe – who had just won the first race with 15-2 chance Man At Work – admitted that the performance came as something of a surprise.

He said: “The owners (Brocade Racing) might be watching this at home, I told them not to come up today because I thought he’d improve for the run and I couldn’t believe it when he was still in front!

“He likes these conditions and probably will like it softer again and the wind op in the summer has probably helped him. We haven’t had the greatest of preps so it was a bit of surprise. We’ll see what the ground is like in three weeks’ time (for the Coral Gold Cup), he was running a very good race in it last year.

“The rest of his runs last season were a bit disappointing so the wind op has definitely helped in the summer. He’s been a great horse over the years and hopefully there are a few more good days in him.”

Remastered’s victory was the second half of an emphatic 75.5-1 double for Pipe, who also won the opening Boylesports EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle with the hurdling debutant Man At Work (15-2).

The four year old was carrying the colours of Prof Caroline Tisdall And Bryan Drew – perhaps best known for Aintree legend Vieux Lion Rouge – and he made a promising start to his career, showing a good attitude to battle past the 10-11 Favourite Grey Dawning in the closing stages to score by a length and a quarter under Tom Scudamore.

And while it’s still early days, Pipe is hopeful that the son of Workforce has a bright future ahead of him. He said: “He’s a nice youngster who’s done everything right at home. I love his attitude, he’s very professional and he jumped well considering he was an unlucky faller in his point to point.

“He’s got a very good mind which hopefully will hold him in good stead for the rest of his career. This was the second race of his life so he was a little bit on and off the bridle at times but he just needed some encouragement to respond and he came straight back on the bridle. He’s only four and he’s got a bit more filling out to do yet, so he’s one to look forward to.”

Meanwhile, Olly Murphy was thrilled to see the promising Doctor Ken (4-1) make a winning start over fences in the Boylesports Novices' Limited Handicap Chase over two and a half miles.

The six year old showed some useful form over timber last term, defeating the progressive Pull Again Green this time last year at Ascot, and he showed stamina in abundance when getting the better of the front-running Ree Okka with a powerful jump at the final fence to win by two and a quarter lengths.

It was a performance which thrilled his trainer, who hopes there will be plenty more to come from his charge. He said: “He’s a nice horse who underachieved over hurdles, like a lot of these do for Grahame and Diana Whateley. They’re bred to be chasers and I thought he jumped very well on the whole, he’d never run in a point to point unlike his three rivals, so hopefully he’s going to improve.

“He’s a gorgeous big horse and he got a lovely ride from Aidan Coleman so I’m thrilled with that. Things didn’t go well for us with Fortunate Dance in the first – who I love – and I don’t know why, so it’s a good game this! You’re up one minute and down the next.

“I’d say he will get further in time, he was so tough there. I kept wondering if he’d see it out as a lot of mine have needed the run this year, so it was good.”