Dai Walters and Sam Thomas injured in helicopter crash

Sky Sports Racing reported Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider turned leading trainer Sam Thomas was one of the passengers, as was Dai Walters, a prominent owner and the founder of Ffos Las racecourse.

Reports said none of the injuries suffered by the five passengers were thought to be life-threatening, but that Walters, while conscious, had remained in hospital for assessment.

The BHA tweeted: “Everyone at the BHA was concerned to learn of the helicopter crash last night in which five people, including owner Dai Walters and trainer Sam Thomas, were injured. Our thoughts are with all of those who were on board and we wish everybody a swift return to full health.”

Thomas enjoyed huge success in his riding days, most famously aboard Denman in the blue riband at Cheltenham in 2008. He also won the Betfair Chase the following year with Kauto Star.

Now based in South Glamorgan, his biggest win to date in the training ranks came with Iwilldoit in the Welsh Grand National in December last year. At Ascot on Saturday he sent out Our Power to win the valuable London Gold Cup Handicap Chase.

On Sunday Thomas and Walters teamed up to win at Carlisle with Good Risk At All. Walters’ colours were seen at Warwick on Tuesday when the Thomas-trained Skytastic finished last of four in a novice chase, while on Wednesday the pair just missed out at Chepstow in the bumper with Range, whom Walters owns in partnership with Potter Group.

North Wales Police said it had been called at 5.36pm to reports of a helicopter crash in woodland near Llanelidan, Ruthin and that while initial reports from the scene indicated four people had gone to hospital, it was subsequently confirmed it was in fact just two people.

A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said: “An accident near Ruthin, North Wales involving a helicopter has been notified to the AAIB. An investigation has been launched and a team of inspectors are at the accident site.”