DORSET racehorse trainer Robert Alner is fighting for his life today after the car he was driving smashed into a telegraph pole.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning trainer was taken to Yeovil General Hospital following the crash just after 5am yesterday.

Mr Alner, 63, of Locketts Farm in Droop, near Sturminster Newton, was later airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.

He had been driving a red Peugeot when the crash happened at Riversmead, Sturminster Newton.

A police spokesman said an elderly man' - now known to be Mr Alner - was trapped in the car following the crash and had been drifting in and out of consciousness with serious head injuries.

A spokesman from Frenchay Hospital, which has a unit specialising in head injuries, said the trainer was in a critical condition' today.

Stable jockey Andrew Thornton confirmed Alner had broken a bone in his neck and was due to have surgery yesterday evening.

Mr Thornton said: "Sally (Mr 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 was 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."

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

He has a full book of 50 horses at Locketts Farm and 14 more housed at a satellite yard.

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

He also trained Sir Rembrandt who finished second and third in the Gold Cup in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

His horse Kingscliff won the prestigious Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham in 2003 before going on to take the Grade One Betfair Chase in 2005.

Mr Alner has held bi-annual open days at Locketts Farm Stables to raise money for causes such as the Countryside Alliance and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

He was involved in a car crash in 2001 when he escaped unharmed from a horsebox after a car and a lorry collided.