Best start for Llewellyn

Fresh from his famous victory on Ollie Magern at Wetherby on Saturday, Carl Llewellyn was back in the winner’s circle on Best Profile following the opening race at Carlisle.

The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding was sent off the 6-5 favourite for the first division of the Racing UK Channel 432 Novices’ Hurdle but he had to dig deep on the extremely testing ground to justify the support.

Best Profile was always prominent until he was kicked on after the second-last and he saw the extended two and a half miles out well to hold Nevada Red by one and three-quarter lengths.

The winner’s only previous jumping experience came when he took an Irish point-to-point in April and Llewellyn said: “It’s very soft out there but he had form on soft ground but he didn’t beat much.”