Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Elliott is King of Gypsy
MAKING a quick reappearance after an abortive trip to Cheltenham, Diamond King should land the White Gypsy Finns Borrisoleigh Hurdle in Thurles today.
The Gordon Elliott-trained 10-year-old won the 2016 Coral Cup at the
Cheltenham Festival and, although successful on his hurdling bow in the autumn of that year, failed to make a major impact over the bigger obstacles.
Back over hurdles this season, he finished a promising third to Killultagh Vic in a conditions event at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve and wasn’t seen again until carrying top-weight in a bid for a second Coral Cup last week.
But his effort was shortlived as he was badly hampered at the second and quickly pulled up in a race won by Bleu Berry.
The 150-rated Diamond King has been found an ideal opportunity to gain compensation today and should have the measure of the consistent Call The Taxie, rated 130 and conceding 5lb to the selection, and Moonshine Bay.
Earlier, Tombstone, also representing Elliott and Davy Russell, must be capable of conceding weight to his five rivals in the listed Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase.
Successful twice over fences, including a defeat of Jett, which re-opposes today, in a Grade 3 at
Navan, this fellow ran creditably when sixth, beaten over seven lengths, behind subsequent RSA runner-up Monalee in the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
Willie Mullins runs both Montalbano and Cadmium while Castlegrace Paddy also has solid claims. But Tombstone looks the class act in the field and can get the job done.
And Martin Brassil’s Artic Pearl, which looked a natural over fences when scoring at Leopardstown, is napped to win the Thurles Vintners Handicap Chase.