AMATEUR landed the £14,900 Potters Canter Carpet West Wales National at Ffos Las Racecourse on Thursday in one of our feature races of the season.

Having won the Mandarin Handicap Chase at Newbury off 10st in December, the 9-2 favourite built on his fourth place in the Devon National to strike off bottomweight by seven lengths, under Jamie Bargary.

The eight year-old gelding, trained by John Flint of Bridgend and owned by John Spence, won comfortably by seven lengths, from Legends Gold in second and Eclair Mag, a further sixteen lengths back in third.

“He’s always had the ability, and he needs the trip of these marathon races," said Flint

"We’d have liked to have got him in the Scottish National, but that could be one for next year hopefully – we’ll have plenty of fun with him.”

He added: “He just didn’t jump at Exeter, but some intensive schooling and taking him to Henrietta Knight’s has proved more than worthwhile."

There was also Welsh success in the Novices' Handicap chase for Peter Bowen as 7-4 favourite Landofsmiles, a recent winner at Chepstow, provided another Ffos Las success for the Pembrokeshire trainer, with his son James Bowen on board. It was the jockey's seventh win in a fortnight.

James Bowen, who also took second on the Nicky Henderson-trained Barely Famous in the Maiden Hurdle at Ffos Las, made a decisive forward move with a circuit to go, and went on to score easily for owners Jayne Brace and Gwyn Brace over three miles.

The progressive eight year-old gelding defied the penalty for his recent win at Chepstow with another wide-margin success, with James' brother Sean Bowen taking second place on Robin of Sherwood, trained by Pembrokeshire's David Rees. Donnie Brasco, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Chester Williams took third.

Ben Jones had opened the afternoon's proceedings with victory aboard Winged Isle for trainer Dai Burchell, of Blaenau Gwent.

And there was another Welsh trained winner in the final race of the day as Arcade Attraction came with a late run to deny Lermoos Legend inside the final furlong. Niall Moore was the man in the saddle, for trainer Evan Williams.

Lermoos Legend, trained by Peter Bowen, was second in that race, ridden by Sean Bowen, who had also had winners at Southwell on Padstow Harbour, and at Newbury on Mac Tottie, trained by his father.

Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis had a couple of second places, with Legends Gold and Anax, and jockey Lorcan Williams rode a winner on the Jeremy Scott-trained Lady Kk.