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Sam Thomas: the inside track on my three Cheltenham contenders
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Mon 2 Mar 2026
Arkle Trophy contender Steel Ally is set to lead a three-strong Sam Thomas team into battle at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.
Steel Ally is three from three over fences, completing his hat-trick with a 10-length success in the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick.
The eight-year-old is a 14-1 shot with William Hill for what looks a strong edition of the Arkle, with Kopek Des Bordes, Lulamba, Kargese and Romeo Coolio among his potential rivals, but Thomas hopes Steel Ally’s sound jumping will stand him in good stead.
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“Steel Ally will go for the Arkle and we’ll be hoping to pick up any pieces if the top horses don’t perform, I suppose,” said the trainer.
“He deserves his chance on what he’s done this season and I think he’s versatile ground-wise. His better jumping performance was on better ground, I’d say.
“I know they’ll go quickly, but I think on a nicer surface you’ll see a better round of jumping from our lad.
“I’m not really fussed what the ground is, but touch wood one thing we do hopefully have in the bank is that he jumps well and he stays, which is what you want.”
Day three of the Festival will see C’Est Different line up as a major contender for the Pertemps Final, having won his last four races, while Celtic Dino is entered in what was the Coral Cup (now BetMGM Cup) and the County Hurdle, with the latter his preferred target at this stage.
Celtic Dino beat Champion Hurdle contender Alexei in the Welsh Champion Hurdle in the autumn and has since performed well in defeat, chasing home star mare Wodhooh at Ascot before finishing fourth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton won by Sir Gino.
Thomas added: “Touch wood C’Est Different is in a nice place. He’s a progressive type, we don’t quite know how good he is and this will tell us a bit more.
“He’s a lovely horse and hopefully he’s got a bit more to come, how much I don’t know, but off a nice, low weight hopefully he can run a massive race.
“We would be leaning towards the County at the minute with Celtic Dino. He was beaten 11 lengths by Sir Gino off level weights on a speed track and quick ground in the Christmas Hurdle, so that form should hopefully put him in the picture of running a good race.
“He should have a nice racing weight should Willie (Mullins) declare one of his higher-rated horses in the race, so I think he’s got a really good chance.
“We’re extremely lucky. We’re well aware of how hard it is at Cheltenham, but I wouldn’t swap our three for many that’s for sure.”
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