Sam Thomas to miss Cheltenham after suffering heavy fall at Ditcheat
Sam Thomas was airlifted to hospital yesterday after a horrifying schooling fall at the Somerset yard of Paul Nicholls, the champion trainer. The jockey, cursed by drama and dismay since his Gold Cup victory two years ago, suffered a cracked vertebra and will miss the Cheltenham Festival.
This latest crushing setback for Thomas came after he had driven to Ditcheat when Nicholls offered him the ride on Woolcombe Folly in the Arkle Trophy on Tuesday. He was upsides Tony McCoy, on Chapoturgeon, when the fall occurred at the last of the schooling fences.
Nicholls said: It was a frightening incident, quite horrific. We thought Sam was seriously hurt and knew we shouldnt move him, so we called the air ambulance and it was with us in six minutes, which was a tremendous effort. They took Sam to Bath Royal United Hospital and they have been doing tests and scans during the day.
The trainer was so distressed that he cancelled plans to attend a Gold Cup lunch in London. Late yesterday, he managed to speak to Thomas personally. They let me have a quick word. He was pretty groggy but amazingly positive, Nicholls said.
It was Tom George, Thomass retaining trainer, who issued categorical news yesterday evening. I havent spoken to Sam directly, but Ive spoken to his father who is with him and he will not be riding at Cheltenham next week, George said. He has suffered a crack to a vertebra high up in his neck, but it is not as bad as first feared and he is able to walk, talk and move his hands and feet.
Its obviously disappointing that he will miss Cheltenham, but the news is largely positive and his injuries will heal with time.
Thomass Cheltenham rides had included Tricky Trickster for Nicholls, in the Gold Cup, and Tell Massini, for George, in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle.
Little has gone right for Thomas since a glorious season ended with Gold Cup triumph on Denman. Since losing his job as second jockey to Nicholls, he has missed a number of big days through injury and suspension, but this latest setback will bring most sympathy.
McCoy, who has taken over on Denman, spoke for all his riding colleagues. Sams had no luck recently and we all wish him well, he said. It was a bad fall and I heard something snap.
The champion jockey aims to ride at his lowest weight for almost two years tomorrow. Qaspal, trained by Philip Hobbs, is the new favourite for the Paddy Power Imperial Cup, displacing Hunterview, who failed to make the cut. McCoy said: Hes got 10st 3lb and Im doing my best to get down to it.
