Thomas is targeting another big success at Cheltenham

SAM Thomas recorded the biggest success of his riding career at Cheltenham and is seeking to do the same as a trainer on Saturday with Vincenzo, who is well fancied for the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

- With JAMES BURN

The race is one of the pre-Christmas highlights in the jumps calendar and is worth £160,000 with more than £90,000 going to the winner.

That is presumably why Thomas has targeted it with the promising Vincenzo, who runs in the colours of Dai Walters, the founder of Ffos Las racecourse.

A gelding, he has won twice and been second twice in four starts over fences for Thomas, who trains in South Glamorgan, not far from Cardiff.

As a jockey, he memorably captured the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the mighty Denman and has made his mark since he started training in 2015, most notably by saddling Iwilldoit to victory in the 2021 Coral Welsh Grand National.

In Vincenzo, he boasts a challenger who is 5-1 with the sponsors for the weekend's main race, which has its market headed by 4-1 joint-favourites Jagwar and II Ridoto.