SAM Thomas was celebrating at Wincanton as the Abergavenny-raised Gold Cup winning jockey-turned-trainer saw gallant grey Al Dancer win the prestigious early season Badger Beer Chase under top weight at 25-1.

"Every trainer needs a horse like that and he's just unbelievable," said Thomas after his front-running 11-year-old under conditional jockey Callum Pritchard took full advantage of Remastered's fall to storm home well clear.

Owned by Welsh businessman Dai Walters, who survived a helicopter crash with Thomas in 2022, it was the gelding's 10th victory from 31 races – and the sixth time from eight he has won his opening race of the season.

But the Cardiff-based trainer says he is no rush to send Al Dancer back into battle after his imperious success, where he turned the staying chase into a procession.

“We’re absolutely thrilled and it was an amazing performance and we’re just unbelievably lucky to have such an incredible horse really,” said Thomas, who famously saddled Denman to Gold Cup glory in 2008.

“We haven’t got a huge team but they are the races we all want to win and it’s great for the boss Mr Walters and just keeps the whole thing ticking along.

“We obviously want to win with every horse we can, but the big ones take the pressure off a bit.”