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Harry Heading Straight for the Gold Cup
10/12/10
Fresh from yet another success on a big stage following the win of the useful Reve de Sivola in a hot novices’ chase at Cheltenham on Friday, up-and-coming trainer Nick Williams had news of plans for his recent impressive Hennessey Gold Cup winner Diamond Harry, writes Elliot Slater.
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The seven-year-old son of Irish racing Derby winner Sir Harry Lewis produced a brilliant performance to beat Burton Port and the gallant Denman at Newbury last month, and Williams confirmed that his stable star will not be seen again until the Cheltenham Gold Cup itself in mid-March, for which he is currently available at 14/1 with racing tips for today.
A light framed horse who has always run well coming off a decent break, Williams suggested that last term he probably gave the gelding a few too many races, and that as result Diamond Harry’s form tailed off a shade, even though his only poor effort was when pulled up when a leading fancy for RSA Chase won by Weapons Amnesty.
Still with more improvement to find to take on the likes of dual winner Kauto Star, reigning champion Imperial Commander and 2008 hero Denman at level weights, Diamond Harry is nonetheless viewed as a horse who is getting better and is definitely on the upgrade, whilst the jury is still out as to whether or not the aging Nicholls-trained pair are quite as good as they once were.
It takes a good trainer, (and one with plenty of self-confidence), to keep a potentially top class horse at home when there are prizes to be won throughout the course of the season, but Williams was adamant that he will not be tempted to change his mind and that those punters who believe that Diamond Harry could be a future champion will have to wait until the third week in March to see for themselves just what he can do at the highest level.
