Lump Sum leads home Welsh Champion Hurdle one-two for track founder Dai Walters and Sam Thomas

Lump Sum fittingly led home a one-two for Dai Walters in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, the feature race of the season at the track the owner founded in 2009.

The Sam Thomas-trained six-year-old, winner of the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices' Hurdle last season, prevailed by a length over his Sam Twiston-Davies-ridden stablemate Steel Ally.

The 11-10 winner continued Dylan Johnston’s good start as retained rider to Walters, who won the first running of the race after it was revived with Oscar Whisky in 2011.

Walters sold Ffos Las to Arena Racing Company in 2018 and recovered from life-threatening injuries sustained in a helicopter crash in November 2022.

Walters targeted the £50,000 event in light of the race being moved back to fellow Arc track Chepstow, its initial home, from next year.

“I put two horses in because I had to come here and win it because somebody told me there’s not going to be another Welsh Champion Hurdle here, which is very disappointing but it’s not my track any longer,” Walters told Sky Sports Racing. “I can’t make the rules and good luck to them.

“I think the second horse needs to go chasing. We don’t want them to meet again.”

Twiston-Davies had earlier helped £70,000 purchase Rosscahill make a successful rules debut in the 2m6f maiden hurdle, completing a double for his father Nigel, who trained Smiling Getaway to make a winning start over fences under Jamie Brace in the opener.

Brilliant Bob

Booster Bob returned to the sort of form that saw him beat subsequent £100,000 Sandown handicap winner Helnwein in Listed company over hurdles, when making a successful chasing debut for Olly Murphy and Sean Bowen.

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