Millionaire horse owner Dai Walters moved to intensive care after horrific helicopter crash

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE horse owner Dai Walters has been moved to intensive care after his helicopter crash.

The sad development regarding the 77-year-old businessman’s health emerged as his horse Al Dancer won the big race at Aintree on Saturday.

Walters was one of five people including horse trainer Sam Thomas involved in the chopper horror on Tuesday.

Their helicopter came down reportedly minutes after taking off in dense woodland near Ruthin in Wales.

An ex-Forces passerby gave Walters gave CPR and Thomas helped salvage the much-loved owner from the wreckage.

The plant machinery tycoon was said to be conscious and talking to his family in hospital.

But his daughter Sarah Llewellyn said her ‘fighter’ dad was now in intensive care with internal complications.

She said: “He isn’t as well as we first thought.

“He’s still in Glan Clwyd hospital in Rhyl but he’s in intensive care.

“He’s relatively stable, as stable as anyone can be in intensive care.

“On Thursday morning his MRI was good and we thought it was great, but there were a few internal complications and that’s where things didn’t go the way we wanted.

“It’s a day-by-day thing at the moment. He’s a fighter, as everybody in the racing industry knows, and he’s very determined.

“Even at the age of 77 he’s got a lot of fight in him. Fingers crossed he’ll pull through.”;

The 5-1 Al Dancer at least gave connections something to smile about with victory in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree.

The victory for the horse Thomas trains, which came over the Grand National fences, was worth £51,440.

Thomas’ assistant James Standen was at the track in his place and said the trainer is ‘banged up’ after the incident.

He said: “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 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.”;