Gitano passes Diamond test

GITANO Hernando and Kieren Fallon swooped late to land the Group 3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk last night and is set for a return to Group 1 action.

Sent off 9/10 favourite, the Marco Botti-trained chestnut was trapped behind a wall of horses until switching to the outside approaching the furlong pole. Asked to quicken, the four-year-old quickly tackled Wade Giles, edged ahead and won, snugly, by a neck.

Both trainer Botti and Fallon were recording their first success at Dundalk. Botti declared: “I’m really pleased, because he was not 100% fit and will improve a lot from the run. Kieren didn’t have to hit him with his stick and told me there was plenty left under him at the finish.”