{{Short description|Welsh jockey}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox horseracing personality |name = Sam Thomas |image = |caption = |occupation = [[Jockey]] |birth_place = [[Abergavenny]], Wales |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1984|6|22}} |death_date = |career wins = 509 |race = Cheltenham Gold Cup, Betfair Chase, Tingle Creek Chase, Savills Chase |awards = |honours = |horses = Denman, Kauto Star, Twist Magic }}
'''Sam Thomas''' (born 22 June 1984) is a retired Welsh [[National Hunt]] jockey who is now a [[horse trainer]]. He is best known for winning the 2008 [[Cheltenham Gold Cup]] with [[Denman (horse)|Denman]].
Across his career as a jockey, Thomas won 509 races and earnt £5.59 million prize money in Great Britain and a further €255,815 in the Republic of Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/profile/jockey/79754/sam-thomas/stats|title=Sam Thomas Statistics|publisher=[[Racing Post]]|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>
==Personal life== Thomas was born in [[Abergavenny]], Wales. He rode in point to points before graduating to race riding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingbetter.co.uk/race/haydock/2007/betfair_chase.html|title=Betfair Chase 2007|publisher=Racing Better|date=24 November 2007|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
==Racing career== Thomas began his racing career with David Evans in Wales. He primarily looked after the horses and took them to races.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://diamondracing.co.uk/sam-thomas/|title=Sam Thomas|publisher=Diamond Racing|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> Thomas had his first runner at [[Exeter Racecourse]], If And But on 20 December 2001. His first winner was Indian Summer at Ludlow Racecourse on 2 April 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Horse+Racing%3A+Play+it+again+Sam!-a0171760343|title=Horse Racing Play It Again Sam|publisher=free library|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/results/34/ludlow/2003-04-02/329472|title=Racing Results Ludlow 2 April 2003|publisher=Racing Post|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>
Thomas joined [[Venetia Williams]] yard and by 20 he had ridden out his claim,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.samthomasracing.com/sam-thomas|publisher=Sam Thomas Racing|title=Sam Thomas Racing|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> and saw success with Limerick Boy winning the 2004 [[Lanzarote Hurdle]] at [[Kempton Park Racecourse|Kempton Park]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/3405467.stm|title=Limerick Boy lands Lanzarote|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=17 January 2004|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> and a Summer Cup at [[Uttoxeter Racecourse]] with Kock De La Vesvre.
Thomas would later join [[Paul Nicholls (horse racing)|Paul Nicholls]] as second jockey to [[Ruby Walsh]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/racing/2006/1023/210466-thomass/|title=Thomas links up with Nicholls|work=[[RTÉ Sport]]|date=23 October 2006|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> Big race victories followed, including his first Group 1 winner in the [[Betfair Chase]] with [[Kauto Star]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/nov/24/horseracing|title=Kauto Star wins tight Betfair Chase |publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=24 November 2007|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref> and later the 2007 [[Tingle Creek Chase]] with Twist Magic.
The biggest race win of his career came in 2008, taking victory in the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Denman beating stablemate Kauto Star.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/7178966.stm|title=Cheltenham Festival|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=14 March 2008|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/horse-racing/article/denman-destroys-rivals-to-win-gold-cup-7fd3227cwmw|title=Denman destroys rivals to win Gold Cup|publisher=[[The Times]]|date=14 March 2008|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
Following his Gold Cup victory, Thomas had mixed form in 2008 which led to doubts in the media over his future with his current employers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2008/dec/01/horseracing|title=Doubts over Thomas suggest Nicholls has been rattled by events|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=1 December 2008|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/nicholls-turns-to-fergie-as-thomas-doubts-grow-6906621.html|title=Nicholls turns to Fergie as Thomas doubts grow|publisher=[[The Evening Standard]]|date=14 April 2012|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref> Continuing to ride Nicholls' top runners, he fell at the last fence in the Betfair Chase on Kauto Star,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/nov/22/horseracing|title= Snoopy Loopy lands surprise Betfair Chase win as Kauto Star slips up|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=22 November 2008|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref> and again in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury Racecourse on [[Big Buck's]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/mar/13/big-bucks-ladbrokes-world-hurdle|title= 'Bonkers' decision pays off as Big Buck's gallops to World glory|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=13 March 2009|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref> Both races he was leading at the time.
Thomas would continue riding until 2015 when he retired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/denmans-rider-sam-thomas-considering-a-return-to-the-weighing-room/304573#:~:text=However%2C%20Thomas%20was%20unable%20to,rode%20competitively%20in%20December%202015.|title=Denman's rider Sam Thomas considering a return to the weighing room|publisher=[[Racing Post]]|date=14 October 2017|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref> In 2017 he returned to the saddle for a charity race in aid of [[Bob Champion]] at Chepstow Racecourse, winning on Maoi Chinn Tire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/court-minstrel-takes-big-prize-13764004|title=Court Minstrel takes the big prize in bumper jump season opener at Chepstow|publisher=Wales Online|date=15 October 2017|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref>
==Major wins== {{flagicon|UK}} '''[[Great Britain]]''' * [[Betfair Chase]] - Kauto Star (2007) * [[Henry VIII Novices' Chase]] - Marodima (2007) * [[Tingle Creek Chase]] - Twist Magic (2007) * [[Scilly Isles Novices' Chase]] - Silverburn (2008) * [[Cheltenham Gold Cup]] - Denman (2008)
{{flagicon|IRE}} '''Republic of Ireland''' * [[John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase]] - Noland (2008) * [[Savills Chase]] - What A Friend (2009)
==Cheltenham Festival winners (1)== * Cheltenham Gold Cup - Denman (2008)
==Training career== Following retirement, Thomas secured his trainers licence. He currently operates from Lisvane in Wales, a 35 box yard owned by businessman Dai Walters who previously owned [[Ffos Las Racecourse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theownerbreeder.com/features/dai-walters-hoping-to-reap-rewards-of-association-with-sam-thomas/|title=Dai Walters hoping to reap rewards of association with Sam Thomas|publisher=The Owner Breeder|date=6 January 2021|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
One of his most notable winners since starting training is Iwilldoit who won the 2021 [[Welsh Grand National]] at [[Chepstow Racecourse]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/59796446|title=Welsh Grand National: Iwilldoit wins at Chepstow|publisher=BBC|date=27 December 2021|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.racingpost.com/news/iwilldoit-provides-biggest-win-of-sam-thomass-training-career-in-welsh-national/529186|title=Iwilldoit provides biggest win of Sam Thomas's training career in Welsh National|publisher=Racing Post|date=27 December 2021|access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Sam}} [[Category:1984 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Welsh jockeys]]