Lump Sum is clear at Kempton

Betfair Imperial Cup preview: Sam Thomas on Lump Sum

By David Ord

Horse Racing

Fri March 07, 2025 · 10M ago

When you think of the Betfair Imperial Cup, what memories come flooding back?

Always staged on the eve of the Cheltenham Festival, it's the last big betting race before a week chock-full of them. A chance to top up the coffers for punters and owners alike.

If you're as old as I am you go back to Blowing Wind, Olympian and Gaspara winning at Sandown and snaring a bonus by doing the same again at Prestbury Park only a few days later.

Pipe + McCoy = payday. You knew where you were then.

Now, Sam Thomas has some way to go to match the exploits of that team but slowly but surely, he’s establishing himself as a trainer with a sure touch when it comes to the big Saturday handicaps.

He runs Lump Sum in the Imperial Cup under top weight. That’s the one negative although Dylan Johnston takes three pounds off as he did when the seven-year-old chased home handicap blot Joyeuse in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury.

These are deep waters – but arguably slightly calmer than those in Berkshire that afternoon – and even though the £100,000 bonus is back, Thomas is looking no further than 2.25 on Saturday, a date and time he’s long had ringed on his calendar.

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“I just felt initially, although it was going to be very competitive in its own right, it would maybe a bit less so than at Cheltenham a week later," he told Friday’s Nick Luck Daily Podcast.

“We’ve still got to lump top weight around, but we’re really excited about it. I think the track will suit him and it’s not going to be a typical Sandown heavy-ground race. So hopefully we’ll still be able to drop in and make our way up the straight quietly which is difficult to do in heavy ground.

"I can read the form as best I can and as competitive as it is, I’m not sure it’s as strong as his last race and if we can have him in the same form, he’ll be very hard to beat."

And if he was to deliver, surely all roads lead to a bonus bid in the County Hurdle next week?

“It’s an obvious lure and that’s a discussion to be had with the boss should the weekend go well. It’s hard to shy away from a big prize like that but ultimately the horse has been amazing for us this season and we’ve had him on the go for quite a long time so it will be a big ask.

“But if we do have the option of doing it, it’s certainly not one we’d be poo-pooing straight away anyway."

It will be a nice dilemma to have. And on his current trajectory, Thomas might have a few more of those in the seasons to come.

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