Sam Thomas Stable Tour

Form profile

Winner of nine of his 28 starts and currently rated 152 over fences. Made a winning reappearance at Chepstow (2m 3½f) in October when scoring by seven and a half lengths from Nocte Volatus off a mark of 148. Subsequently third, beaten four and a half lengths, to Jetoile in the Grade 2 Old Roan Handicap Chase at Aintree (2m 4f) later that month off a mark of 154. Again, finished third, beaten 15½ lengths, to Shakem Up’Arry in a handicap chase at Cheltenham (2m 4½f) on New Year’s Day off the same mark.

Trainer says

It’s amazing that at the age he is that he is at his best. For a trainer that is very satisfying that you can keep the old boys like they are and he is on a career high mark right now. He has been an amazing horse and we are aiming him for the Coral Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton on February 24. He has been fine since his race at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day and just loves his racing, is very enthusiastic and loves what he does. The ground is never too bad at Kempton and if it did have a little cut in it, we would be happy.

Form profile

Winner of two of her six starts and currently rated 120 over hurdles. Finished third, beaten 17 lengths, to Jingko Blue in a handicap hurdle at Sandown (2m 4f) this month off her current mark.

Trainer says

I’m very happy with her and learning about her all the time. It was really testing first time in really soft ground and she beat a couple of winners. I have found a nice race for her in early March at Doncaster – a three-mile Listed mares’ novice hurdle. She will go for that and then we have novice chases next season. She is probably going to be a proper stayer in the making.

Form profile

Winner of three of his 12 starts and currently rated 138 over hurdles and 137 over fences. Finished fourth, beaten 13½ lengths, to Nurse Susan in a handicap hurdle at Lingfield (2m 7f) in January off a mark of 139.

Trainer says

We have been on a sort of fact-finding mission with him this season and he was once touted to be Gold Cup material. Unfortunately, he hasn’t shown us that on the racetrack this season but is running well without winning and running to a decent level. I am going to try and get him qualified for the Pertemps and he is in on Sunday at Exeter. Please god he gets placed there and then that would be the next step for him.

Form profile

No wins from 14 starts and currently rated 107 over fences. Has finished second or third in his last eight starts and finished runner-up, beaten four and three quarter lengths, to Imac Wood in a handicap chase at Hereford (2m 5f) in.

Trainer says

We call him the Placepot horse - he is one to put in the placepot. He is only rated 107 but if every horse could pick up prize money so regularly you would be happy. We will keep on bashing on and he is in at Plumpton on Monday in a valuable two mile three and a half handicap chase. Hopefully, he goes there with every chance and we will claim off him again.

Form profile

Winner of one of his two starts. Made a winning debut in a bumper at Ascot in November when scoring by four and a quarter length from Monty Bodkin and subsequently third, beaten nine and three quarter lengths, to Let It Rain in a listed bumper at the same course in December.

Trainer says

He is a hugely talented horse who impressed when he won first time at Ascot. We then ran him in probably the best bumper we have seen so far this season back at Ascot in December. Unfortunately, he is not ready for the Newbury bumper this Saturday but we will keep it realistic with him - he is still babyish and we will try and get his head in front somewhere with a penalty. Next season we will go novice hurdling and he is quite exciting as he won his first race not really knowing what he was doing to a certain extent. He is very much a work in progress.

Form profile

Winner of two of his seven starts and currently rated 138 over hurdles. Gained his last success in a handicap hurdle at Newbury (3m) in December when beating Holy Joe Smoke five and a half lengths off a mark of 124. Another creditable effort when third, beaten a length and three quarters, to Butch in a handicap hurdle at Cheltenham (3m) on New Year’s Day off a mark of 112 but pulled up latest in a similar event at Sandown (2m 7½f) this month off his current mark.

Trainer says

He just blotted his copybook the last time at Sandown and we are not entirely sure why. He was never happy there and with a mile gone he was lugging left and there was clearly feeling something. We will make sure he is 110% before we go again and he had been brilliant the time before at Cheltenham where if he had jumped the last better, he would have won. He is the most straightforward horse you would want to train as he doesn’t pull and is so honest. We just need to put a line through that last run. He is a super horse with lots of scope and he should develop into a very good novice chaser.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 15 starts and currently rated 137 over fences. Made a winning reappearance in a novices’ chase at Carlisle (2m 4f) in October when scoring by 16 lengths, from Alaphilippe. Odds-on and didn’t jump well when fourth, beaten 61 lengths, to Quel Destin in handicap chase at Chepstow (2m 3½f) in December latest off his current mark.

Trainer says

We just pulled stumps with him after his last run and worked on a few issues with him. He started his season brightly at Carlisle and we will give him a break until next season.

Form profile

Winner of six of his 22 starts and currently rated 149 over fences and 143 over hurdles. Has run well in three starts this season and started his campaign when finishing runner-up, beaten two lengths, to Gentleman At Arms over hurdles in a Pertemps Qualifier at Aintree (3m½f) in November off a mark of 140. Lost no caste in defeat when third, beaten 35 lengths, to Nassalam in the Grade 3 Coral Welsh National Handicap Chase at Chepstow (3m 6½f) in December off a mark of 153 and had stiff task at the weights when third, beaten 21 lengths, to L’Homme Presse in the valuable Fleur De Lys Chase at Lingfield (2m 6f) in January.

Trainer says

It is a job to know what to do with these highly rated horses that need three miles plus. We obviously knew that we weren’t going to win down at Lingfield in the Fleur De Lys but we nicked a bit of prize money and he came out of that like he hadn’t had a race. We haven’t got a load of options with him but we have him in the Grand National Trial at Haydock and in a race over three miles at Ascot on the same day. I imagine we will go and run at Haydock and he does deserve to win one but it tough off the mark he is on.

Form profile

Winner of one of his eight starts and currently rated 117 over fences. Finished third, beaten 13½ lengths, to Top Of The Bill in a handicap chase at Exeter (3m) in December off a mark of 118.

Trainer says

He is a nice horse and is just not very quick. He jumps well and we have him in over three miles four and a half at Lingfield in a 0-125. He should be very competitive in that. I always thought this horse would develop into a Welsh National type but he is just laidback and one-paced. He should be winning in the right company.

Form profile

No wins from 6 starts and currently rated 100 over hurdles. Finished fourth, beaten 12½ lengths, to Wot You Wearing in a handicap hurdle at Chepstow (2m 3½f) in November off his current mark.

Trainer says

He went off for a wind operation after his last run and he is ready to rock n’ roll. It is hard to know if the operation will have made the world of difference - his wind was not horrendous - and I think he is one who has to be well handicapped really. He is well able to work with better horses at home. We started him off in the three-year-old campaign which is a great initiative but doesn’t always suit every horse and it may well have worked against our lad. It made him a bit buzzy and a bit keen but he has settled down now. He should be winning and he jumps very well so we have novice chasing to explore after hurdling.

Form profile

Winner of one of his six starts and currently rated 112 over hurdles. Finished third, beaten six and three quarter lengths, to Billy Boi Blue in a maiden hurdle at Hereford (2m 3½f) in January.

Trainer says

I am learning about the stallion (Bathyrhon) that they are very flashy at home. They are very strong travelling horse and I overpitched him on a couple of occasions. He ran well in a Listed bumper and then won his bumper at the end of the season and for whatever reason he hasn’t quite hit the mark yet. It was too sharp for him at Hereford last time and I think he is a three-miler. We have him in races very soon and he should be winning next time.

Form profile

Winner of three of his five starts and currently rated 130 over hurdles. Scored by 10 lengths from Onewaywest on his hurdling bow at Ffos Las (2m) in November and followed up with a length success from Onethreefivenotout in a novice at Wincanton (1m 7f) in December. Finished runner-up, beaten a length and a quarter, to Jeriko Du Reponet in the Grade 2 Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster (2m½f) in January.

Trainer says

He is a very talented little horse and is a typical Authorized and wears his heart on his sleeve. He is a little keen and likes to get on with things. Duly, he deserved to have a crack at a better race the other day at Doncaster and we didn’t get him involved early on as he needs to settle but Tom Cannon gave him a lovely ride. He just got caught a bit flat footed turning into the straight but he stayed on quite nicely and will have learnt a lot from that. We need to get a fourth run into him in the next week or two and I would love to try and win the Imperial Cup with him. He is the sort of horse that would love the strong gallop and stiff two miles. He handles any ground and then we would like to go for the Welsh Champion Hurdle at the start of next season.

Form profile

Winner of eight of his 31 starts and currently rated 146 over fences. Not seen out since falling at the 14th in the Grade 3 Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury (3m 2f) in December off his current mark.

Trainer says

He is out for the season and picking up a niggle after the Coral Gold Cup. Adam Wedge was very happy with him but he fell too far out to make any assumption of how he would run. Unfortunately, he won’t be out but we will get him ready for one of the good handicaps early next season.

Form profile

Finished ninth, beaten 37 lengths, to Dunskay in a bumper at Exeter in November.

Trainer says

He promises a lot but is very tricky to train. He had a wind operation after his last start and we hope our patience is rewarded.

Form profile

Winner of one of his six starts and currently rated 125 over hurdles. Off the mark over hurdles at Chepstow (2m 3½f) in December when beating Magical Escape two and a half lengths. Finished fifth, beaten 14 lengths, to Kerryhill in the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle at Doncaster (3m½f) in January.

Trainer says

He is a lovely horse who hasn’t been the most straightforward to train and he is quite a buzzy little type and doesn’t carry any condition. He will most definitely improve season to season and he has already shown he can handle any ground. I think he will turn into a Welsh National type in years to come.

Form profile

Made a winning debut in a bumper at Chepstow in November when beating Jacobin five and a half lengths and runner-up, beaten a length and a quarter, to Queensbury Boy over the same course and distance in December.

Trainer says

He did it nicely at Chepstow first time where he had the run of the race but the race hasn’t worked out well form-wise unfortunately. Saying that he is a lovely horse who jumps very well and we will give him another run in a bumper. He should be a lovely two-and-a-half-mile novice hurdler for next season.

Form profile

Winner of one of his six starts and currently rated 124 over hurdles. Off the mark over hurdles with a six-length success from Dartmoor Pirate in a novice event at Wincanton (1m 7f) this month.

Trainer says

He got off the mark at the third time of asking this season. He would have won hard held first time out at Ffos Las but just sprawled on landing after the last. We went back to Ffos Las but the ground was unraceable and I owe a lot to Harry Cobden as he pulled him up a lot earlier than a lot of jockeys would have done. He came back and said you can run him in a couple of weeks’ time but if I had carried on you wouldn’t see him for three months. All credit to Harry, we got him back on good ground at Wincanton and he bolted up. The time was nine seconds quicker than the second division and he is a nice horse. He is a lovely horse to train.

Form profile

Winner of five of his 25 starts and currently rated 155 over fences. Made a winning reappearance in a handicap chase at Chepstow (2m7½f) in October when beating Tea Clipper six lengths off a mark of 150 and subsequently ninth, beaten 22 lengths, to Datsalrightgino in the Grade 3 Coral Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury (3m 2f) in December off a mark of 157.

Trainer says

He is another who picked up a niggle after the Coral Gold Cup and he will out early next season. We have only scratched the surface with him over three miles and there is a big three-mile race in him sometime. Now knowing that he banged himself it could well have reflected on him at the time. He came back very sore but he is a horse with still more to come.

Form profile

Placed in three of his four starts and currently rated 127 over hurdles. Finished runner-up, beaten three and a quarter lengths, to Diamond Ri in a maiden hurdle at Warwick (2m 3f) in January.

Trainer says

He has come on in leaps and bounds and if you see where we have him now compared to where we first had him he is two different horses. We have had to be patient with him and he didn’t take his first races very well last season well at all. It has taken some time to get some meat back on the bone. This season was the same and he lost condition after Carlisle and his last run there was a brilliant one. He ran well behind Joe Tizzard’s Diamond Ri at Warwick last time and came out of that race very well. He will run in on Sunday in a two-mile two down at Exeter and fingers crossed we will go close.

Form profile

Finished runner-up, beaten four lengths, to Captain Bellamy in a bumper at Chepstow in October and third, beaten eight and a quarter lengths, to Jurancon when returning to that course and distance in December.

Trainer says

He is a lovely rangy type and, again, he is only going one way and growing like crazy. He is going to be a lovely horse next season and he ran a blinder first time against a well touted horse of Paul Nicholls’s. We ran him again back at Chepstow but the ground was too deep and it was too much hard work for him. He is such a good moving horse and needs decent ground.