Thomas and Nicholls excited ahead of Leger Legends return

Grand National winner Sam Waley-Cohen also set to feature in Doncaster charity race.

Two jockeys-turned-trainers will return to the saddle for the Ubettabelieveit Leger Legends Stakes on the opening day of Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.

The line-up for the race is headed by the reigning Grand National champion, Sam Waley-Cohen, who won the Aintree marathon aboard Noble Yeats this April in what was his last ride under rules before retiring.

The one-mile Leger Legends, run to raise funds for the National Horseracing College and Jack Berry House, will see the rider back on the racecourse in the name of charity as he joins 14 former riders.

Jump jockeys are well represented in the contest this time around, with Robbie Power, Barry Geraghty, Alain Cawley, David Crosse, Brian Harding and Adrian Lane all partaking.

Joining them is Sam Thomas, another former National Hunt rider who was famously connected with both Kauto Star and Denman – winning the 2007 Betfair Chase on the former and the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup on the latter.

Sam Thomas during his riding career
Sam Thomas during his riding career (Nick Potts/PA)

Thomas now trains in Cardiff and enjoyed the most valuable win of his second career in December when Iwilldoit landed the Welsh Grand National.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’ll be a bit of fun and hopefully we can raise some money for charity,” he said.

“It’ll be great to see everyone again. I’m fortunate in that I ride out every day, so it’ll be nice to get back on the track.

“I won’t be lacking for fitness, anyway – I’m probably busier now than I ever was when I was riding, so it should be fun.

“Hopefully I can get a horse with a good chance.”

Thomas aboard the great Denman
Thomas aboard the great Denman (David Jones/PA)

Former Flat jockeys set to line up include Kieren Fallon, Sammy Jo Bell, Megan Nicholls, Seb Sanders, Gary Bardwell, Amy Ryan and Jason Edmunds.

Adrian Nicholls, a Group One-winning rider who now trains in North Yorkshire, will join them in a bid to go one better than his second-placed performance in 2017.

“It’s for a good cause, I missed it last year but I’ve ridden in it a few times and it’s always a bit of craic,” he said.

“I’ve been second and third in it, so it’d be good to win. I’d like to think I’d still be pretty fit as I ride out every day, it’ll be a bit of sport.

Adrian Nicholls ahead of the 2016 running the Leger Legends race
Adrian Nicholls ahead of the 2016 running the Leger Legends race (Anna Gowthorpe/PA)

“Just going at a race pace is a little bit different but I still ride out and I haven’t ballooned, I haven’t put much weight on since I retired.

“Hopefully I get a nice ride, I haven’t got anything for it myself. I just want something that can travel so I don’t have to push it too far!”

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