Sam Thomas is deliberating over the future plans for Lump Sum, who impressed by finishing second to the dominant Sir Gino in Saturday’s Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
The six-year-old, who began his campaign with victory in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las, took the step-up in class in stride. Despite falling short against Nicky Henderson’s star performer, Lump Sum justified his place in the field and earned a 1lb rise in his handicap mark to 144.
Thomas acknowledged the challenge of planning the next move for a horse of Lump Sum’s calibre.
“He ran very well on Saturday, and we obviously bumped into a very good horse. The handicapper has raised him a pound, which is nice recognition, but it does leave us in a tricky spot between handicaps and Graded races.”
"We’re lucky to have him, and hopefully he’ll keep progressing. He’s a good, fun horse. We’ll sit down with Dai Walters (owner) and decide what’s next."
With the festive season approaching, Thomas’ yard is in strong form, with four wins from its last eight runners. The trainer is keen to maintain this momentum:
“The horses are healthy right now, touch wood, and we’ll aim to keep it that way. It’s a long season, but if we can keep them sound and happy, we’ll be thrilled.”
As Lump Sum’s team weighs their options, fans can expect him to remain a key player in top-level hurdles this season.