Top-weight Lump Sum to swerve Greatwood Hurdle engagement

Lump Sum will not take his place in the Unibet Greatwood Handicap Hurdle, with connections preferring to wait for other options with the Welsh Champion Hurdle winner.

Trained by Sam Thomas, the Dai Thomas-owned six-year-old was a Grade Two victor as a novice last season, landing the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton, and finished his campaign by competing at the highest level at Aintree.

He got his new season up and running when justifying favouritism at Ffos Las and was set to shoulder top-weight in the feature of Sunday’s action at Cheltenham.

Lump Sum was a 10-1 chance with the sponsors, but Thomas has elected to skip a trip to Prestbury Park and will now look at other options for his progressive performer, one of which could be a clash with Constitution Hill in Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Thomas said: “He doesn’t run and we’re just going to wait for some more suitable ground for him, I think. Off top-weight on Sunday it would be a huge ask for him. I did put him in the Fighting Fifth just to keep options open really.

“He’s a cracking horse and it was job done at the start of the season to get the ball rolling at Ffos Las, but we just want to make sure we look after him for the rest of the season now.”