Boylesports Grand Sefton Chase
Handicap Chase, Aintree 14:11
£100,000 guaranteed,
6yo plus,
2m 5f 19y, Class 2  
Saturday 5th November 2022

1 Al Dancer 5/1
2 Gesskille 6/1
3 Percussion 40/1
14 ran NR: Cooper's Cross Distances: nse, 8l, ½l
Time: 5m 27.00s (slow by 7.00s)

Al Dancer was winner for trainer Sam Thomas and owner Dai Walters, the two having been 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 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.

James Standen, assistant to Thomas said: “Sam is OK and he’s been 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, Walters’ 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.”

On Al Dancer he added: “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) and it’s nice that one has fallen his way.”

Winning jockey Charlie Deutsch said: “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.

“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.”

FormRatings

Grand Sefton Handicap Chase
£100,000 guaranteed, 6yo plus, 2m 5f 19y, Class 2
14 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1     Al Dancer 9 10-13 Sam Thomas Charlie Deutsch 5/1
2 nse Gesskille 6 10-2 Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Henry Brooke 6/1
3 8 Percussion 7 10-2 L J Morgan Adam Wedge 40/1
4 ½ Lifetime Ambition 7 11-6 Mrs John Harrington Sean O'Keeffe 7/2F
5 13 Two For Gold 9 12-0 Kim Bailey David Bass 12/1
6 5½  Spiritofthegames 10 10-6 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 13/2
7 16 Broken Halo 7 10-6 Paul Nicholls Lorcan Williams 17/2
8 5½ One True King 7 10-2 Nigel Twiston-Davies Kielan Woods 12/1
9 shd Jacamar 7 10-6 Milton Harris Jonathan Burke 11/1
10 25 Senior Citizen 9 10-9 Alan King A P Heskin 8/1
PU 7P5433 Al Roc 11 10-2 David Pipe Tom Scudamore 125/1
PU 36F636 Abaya Du Mathan 10 10-2 David Pipe David Noonan 300/1
REF 213355 Jack Hackett 8 10-2 Ciaran Murphy Robert Dunne 40/1
UR 4-8343 The Golden Rebel 8 10-2 Ben Case Bryan Carver 25/1
NR 13 Cooper's Cross 7 10-2 3ex Stuart Coltherd NON RUNNER

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