No jumps trainer in Britain is likely to end the season with a higher strike rate than Sam Thomas (photographed). Right now, the Cardiff-based handler is operating at around the 30 per cent mark for the campaign. It is a tremendously high winners-to-runners ratio, and Thomas again advertised his abilities at the weekend with two successes.
The first came on Saturday’s card at Newbury with Palacio picking up a decent prize by winning a two-mile handicap chase. It was an excellent performance by the eight-year-old, who made almost all the running and pulled away again from his rivals after the second-last fence before bounding five lengths clear on the run-in.
A day later the Thomas team made the marathon trip to Carlisle worthwhile when the potentially smart Rocking Man took a two-mile novice hurdle.
The seven-year-old is lightly raced – this was just his sixth run under rules – but has good form in the book. He beat subsequent Grade 2 winner Carlenrig earlier this term and he was not hard pressed on this occasion as he banked a six-length success in the colours of Dai Walters.
The twin triumphs again underlined how Thomas is able to keep his horses operating near the top of their game for most of the season. Both Palacio and Rocking Man were on the mark at the same Chepstow meeting in early November.
Palacio was not the only Welsh winner on the valuable card at the Berkshire track, with jockey Jack Tudor teaming up with Prairie Wolf to land a £40,000 two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase.
It was a rare ride for Tudor for the West Yorkshire training combination of Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith. But he grasped the opportunity with both hands, collaring long-time leader Twinjets at the last jump and pulling away to win with possibly something to spare.
Ben Jones was on the mark on the first day of Newbury’s meeting, seizing the initiative after a late error by the pace-setting Captain Bellamy to be a comfortable winner of a novices’ handicap chase.
Porth-born jockey Callum Pritchard was the rider to follow at Exeter’s meeting on Sunday. He rode a treble courtesy of Sweet Nightingale, Dakota Star and Kayf Dancer. He narrowly missed out on a four-timer as he was beaten by a short-head on Livin on Luco on his only other ride on the card.
All eyes will be on the first turf fixture of the new Flat season this weekend, when Doncaster stages the Lincoln meeting. David Probert could be in for some rides, with the Bargoed-born jockey back in Britain following a stint in Hong Kong during the winter. Wales’ most successful flat jockey is certain to be in demand throughout the summer.
The next meeting at Ffos Las is a Family Fun Day on Sunday, April 12. Don’t forget children aged 17 and under go free. There are some great value ticket and hospitality packages available if you head to the race day page on this website.
