Ormskirk trained Solar Impulse ready to shine over National fences
SOLAR Impulse will provide Ormskirk-based trainer Chris Kellett and owners Andy Bell and Fergus Lyons with a first runner over the Grand National fences this week.
Orsmkirk businessman Bell asked the then Cheshire-based trainer to move to his Blythe Hall base in Lathom 12 months ago to take over the stables in the chief hope that they could team up to take part in the Randox Health Grand National.
And while that may not be this year, they will make a start when the former Paul Nicholls-trained Solar Impulse lines up in the Randox Health Topham Chase run over the famous Aintree obstacles this Friday.
Kellett has been training since 1999 and has had 59 winners. But the chance to move to an upwardly-mobile setting near Ormskirk was one that was too good to turn down.
He said: “I am a smalltime trainer and met Andy Bell. He said ‘look I’ve got a lovely training place here, do you fancy coming here and training my horses’. And then he put a few quid in and he bought Solar Impulse.
“He had a trainer here, Danni McCormack, and she wanted to finish, so he was looking for a new trainer. Andy and his business partner have got a few quid to spend so I am not going to turn this down. I found him Solar Impulse at the sales. I got him a few others but we are just trying to find some decent horses to fill the yard out. There are a few moderate ones that want moving on.”
Bell has a real affinity with Aintree Racecourse and the Grand National. He is a former director of St Helens RLFC and Bell’s company has the naming rights for Salford Red Devils’ and Sale Sharks’ ground, the AJ Bell Stadium.
But he is looking forward to his other sporting passion this week.
Kellett said: “Andy Bell’s passion is to have a Grand National runner. At the moment the nearest we have got to it is Solar Impulse running in the Topham.
“He has bought a few horses and when I first came here he said ‘I would love to have a runner in the National’.
“It is alright saying that but it is about finding the right horse.
“He is passionate about running in the National and Aintree. And hopefully we will get him one to run in the National one day.”