Alner injured in car crash

Robert Alner is due to undergo surgery later tonight after being injured in a serious car crash near his base in Dorset, England.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer was trapped in his red Peugeot 406 after he collided with a telegraph pole in Sturminster Newton near his Droop yard early this morning.

Firefighters cut him free from the wreckage and he was taken to Yeovil General Hospital before being airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

A Dorset Police spokesman said an “elderly man” was trapped in the car following the crash and said he was drifting in and out of consciousness with serious head injuries.

Stable jockey Andrew Thornton later confirmed Alner has broken a bone in his neck and is due in surgery this evening.

“He’s broken a bone in his neck and is going for an operation to realign it tonight,” said Thornton.

“Sally (Alner’s wife) said the nurse was positive on the phone and as far as his head is concerned, it is fine.

“He has partial movement in his arms. The operation is supposed to last three hours, but the nurse was quite positive.

“Sally really appreciates everyone’s concern but has asked that people do not ring her at this time.”

Alner, 63, has handled a number of top-class horses since taking out a full training licence in 1993.

He trained 25-1 shot Cool Dawn to land the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1998 and also claimed the Grade One Lexus Chase with The Listener at Leopardstown last December.

Alner, who rode 53 winners under Rules as an amateur, also trained Sir Rembrandt to finish second and third in the Gold Cup in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

The trainer is responsible for Kingscliff, who won the Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham in 2003 before going on to take the Grade One Betfair Chase in 2005.