FROM a near career-threatening injury at Aintree last year, Dream Alliance is on course for a return to Merseyside following victory in the Coral Welsh National.
Under Tom O’Brien, himself not long back after breaking a leg in a fall in the paddock at Hereford in June, Dream Alliance score a superb success in the Welsh showpiece at Chepstow yesterday to put himself in the picture for the John Smith’s Grand National.
Philip Hobbs’ eight-year-old almost had his career ended with a serious injury in a hurdle race at Aintree in April 2008 and only returned at action over the smaller obstacles at the Welsh venue last month. But he showed he has lost none of the ability that saw him finish second to Denman in the Hennessy Gold Cup in Newbury two years ago when landing a typically gruelling renewal of the Welsh National by three-quarters of a length from Silver By Nature (14-1).
Winning jockey O’Brien said: “Amazing. I’ve only had about 12 rides since I came back. I had a couple of seconds and thirds and I thought I was doing something wrong, but this horse is a courageous animal.
“I broke my leg when a horse reared over on top of me and I was out for a couple of months, but this makes it all worthwhile. I love this game.
“When you’re injured you’re not in control, there’s nothing you can do in that perspective. I’m just delighted I’m back now. It’s a short career. I just enjoy every day of it.”
Dream Alliance, who is owned by the Alliance Partnership a gathering of more than 20 friends from Cefn Fforest, is now a best-priced 33-1 with William Hill, Coral and Paddy Power to add the Grand National at Aintree to yesterday’s success.
Trainer Hobbs added: “It’s like a dream come true for the whole lot of them. It’s amazing really and he’s aptly-named.
“He ran in a hurdle at Aintree and he cut right through his boot and his tendon. He had to go to Liverpool Veterinary Hospital but his injury was that bad, we were almost sure he wasn’t going to run again. He came back into training quietly.
“Good job we didn’t have another 20 yards to go. I was just a bit worried for a second.
“At his best, his form is very good but he’s probably a bit better fresh, so we waited a long time from his first run over hurdles.
“He was a few pounds out of the Hennessy so we decided to miss that and this was the option.
“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t go to Aintree now, but we will savour this for the moment.”
Officials at Haydock will stage a further inspection at 3pm today ahead of tomorrow’s scheduled fixture.
Conditions at the Merseyside venue remain unraceable but clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright said: “We’ve decided we’re going to look again at 3pm tomorrow. There is more frost forecast so we will see what happens. We are currently soft, frozen in places.”
TODAY’S NAP: Khachaturian (3.15pm Newbury).
