Glen’s Diamond sparkles in Yorkshire Cup

Dubai: Tony Hamilton trumpted his growing stature as a jockey when he snatched a thrilling victory aboard 25-1 outsider Glen’s Diamond in the Group 2 Qipco Yorkshire Cup, the opening leg in the long-distance division of the British Champions Series long distance, at York on Friday.

Only a nose separated the winner from runner-up Top Trip, ridden by Godolphin’s Dubai World Cup-winner rider Mickael Barzalona for French trainer Francois Doumen.

Trainer by Yorkshire-based Richard Fahey, Glen’s Diamond was triumphed at the second attempt, having finished second to Red Cadeaux in the 2,800m contest 12 months ago.

Irish St. Leger winner Royal Diamond was three and a quarter lengths back in third, while fancied Joshua’s Trip, could only finish sixth under Ryan Moore.

Hamilton, 29, was promoted to first jockey at Fahey’s Malton yard after dual British champion Paul Hanagan was recruited as stable jockey to Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.

“He’s tough, he can be keen but Robin [O’Ryan, Fahey’s assistant] left it to me today and said put your hands on his neck and see where he lands. We landed in front so I rode a race from the front,” the Hartlepool native told Racing UK.

“His form tailed off but he kept running on bad ground and we nearly pulled him out today because of the ground. I wasn’t sure if I’d won.”

Owner Glen Clayton was thrilled to pieces and said she named the horse Glen’s Diamond as, “I wanted a diamond ring but I got the horse instead.’

“He’s been more fun than a diamond ring,” she declared. “I didn’t think he was going to win, I wasn’t confident at all, I thought the ground had gone against him.”

Doumen, who famously won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1994 with The Fellow said of the runner-up Top Trip: “I’m never pleased, especially when I’m beaten a couple of inches.

“He lost the race with the storm yesterday because that was not his ideal surface, but he’s proved he’s improved from last year, he’s proven that he can stay which was a doubt, according to the press.

“It was a big test today on ground he doesn’t like but I’m happy that we’ve got a good horse. He’s a bit lazy and he has to be pushed along, but he has a kick at the end.”

Godolphin’s Cavalryman, the ante-post favourite, was withdrawn from the race due to the unsuitable soft ground.

Earlier in the afternoon Beldale Memory outclassed her rivals to win the Listed Marygate Stakes under Jamie Spencer.