Ok, this isn't the most elegant solution, but is is a proper "Simple Random Sample" and is very fast

/*

FAST Simple Random Sample from a source table using pseudo random number generator RAND()

Usage:

Sample Size is set following the "select top"

Copy and paste more random value subqueries than the sample size

If the sample size is more than 20% of the source table size, you may have to include many time the sample size of random value subqueries

and if more than 50%, consider changing the query to exlude the random rows.

Modify the @SourceRowCount and the first part of the query for your source table name (dbo.phrases in this example)

A random seed is used, but a fixed one can be used if desired

Advantages:

Does not use NEWID for randomness, which is not technically a Random Number Genrator

Is FAST, even when the source table is large Select 10 from 10 million in 6 seconds, 1000 in 8 seconds

Does not rely on data page assumptions (see TABLESAMPLE)

Disadvantages:

Not TRUE random numbers

See Also:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa175776(SQL.80).aspx

Presents three methods for random samples

1) Cursors and RAND() Cursor Overhead

2) Rand( ROW ID) Bad randomness

3) NewID

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189108.aspx

Documentation for TABLESAMPLE

1) Can only be used on true tables, not linked, views, XML, etc

2) Samples pages, not rows, if pages contain correlated row its no longer a simple random sample

*/

/*

Find the number of rows in the source table

*/

declare @SourceRowCount integer

select @SourceRowCount=COUNT(*) from dbo.phrases

/*

Initialize the random number generator with a random seed (or a particular seed)

*/

declare @d integer

set @d=RAND() --set @d=RAND(an integer)

/*

Create Source table from the desired table and ROW_NUMBER()

Join Source to a table of random values between

Select top n from a slightly larger set

*/

select * from

(select *, ROW_NUMBER() over(order by GETDATE()) as Row from dbo.phrases)

as source,

(select top 10 n from

(select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n union all

select convert(integer, RAND()*@SourceRowCount) as n)

as tmp)

as R where source.Row=R.n