Sam Thomas could not have scripted a better start to his own recovery. A short-priced double in the first two races at Wincanton yesterday fortified a jockey who has been through the mincer of late. Mind you, the man himself responded defiantly to his so-called “loss of confidence”.

“Someone in the weighing room just told me that I'm back,” Thomas said after the second of his two winners. “I said that I hadn't gone anywhere. The whole thing has been totally overblown. People have gone overboard about what is supposed to have happened to me.”

The whole world saw what happened to Thomas when he made high-profile departures from Kauto Star and Big Buck's on successive Saturdays. That led to Paul Nicholls booking Tony McCoy for the prized ride aboard Master Minded at Sandown tomorrow.

It was a chastening setback for Thomas who, as Nicholls' second jockey, has been standing in for the injured Ruby Walsh. But the 24-year-old firmly rebutted the notion that he was in need of a lift. “Everything went fine this time last year,” he said, “and I have been doing the same thing every day since then.

“I haven't have much luck this time round, that's all. There is nothing wrong with my confidence. I have ridden seven winners in the last two weeks. People go on about it, but it doesn't make any difference to my riding. I haven't changed anything. I just want to get on with my day-to-day job.”

Asked if he felt disappointment or relief at missing out on the ride aboard Master Minded, Thomas said:

“Neither of those things. I was never on the horse to get jocked off him, and I'm not worrying about what happens on Saturday [because] I'm going to Chepstow for some nice rides there.”

Despite summoning McCoy for Master Minded in conjunction with Clive Smith, that horse's owner, Nicholls continues to support Thomas. He saddled Pepite De Soleil in the opening novices' hurdle and Thomas never moved a muscle as the 2-11 favourite came home alone.

“I had a better race in mind for the horse over Christmas but I wanted to give Sam a good ride,” the trainer said. Pepite De Soleil beat little but appears to have a bright future. This, however, was all about guiding Thomas into the winner's circle after a barren run that stretched to 20 rides.

“Sam's had a nice winner and its onwards and upward from here,” Nicholls said. “He came down and schooled on Wednesday, and we had a little chat. Everything's fine.” And with that, Nicholls turned on his heels and headed home despite having another runner later on the card.

Thomas had to work only a little harder aboard the Venetia Williams-trained Lightning Strike in the novices' chase. He shook Lightning Strike up for a few strides and the horse quickly outclassed his three opponents.

Kauto Star and Big Buck's unseated Thomas at the final fences in their respective races. Asked if the detail had entered his mind yesterday as he reached the last with both races won, the jockey replied: “No. Once you start thinking you might fall, it will happen. Obviously it's great to ride two winners. I don't care what price they were, they all count.”

Despite their skimpy odds, Thomas's winners were warmly applauded by regulars at a venue on Nicholls's doorstep. While they recognise that the jockey has endured a trying time, Thomas himself is putting a brave face on it. What he did not say, but seemed to fervently believe, is that his time will come again.

Master Minded will face six rivals in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown tomorrow, among them two of his stablemates in Twist Magic and Takeroc. At Wetherby, Punjabi will oppose Sublimity and four others in the rescheduled Fighting Fifth Hurdle.