Diocles set to follow up

Donald McCain has always held Diocles in high regard, and the recent Bangor winner should follow up in the BetVictor.com Novices’ Hurdle at Ayr today.

The six-year-old made a most encouraging start to his racing career, when bolting up by eight lengths in an all-weather bumper at Southwell in December 2010, but then spent 11 months out of action.

He was expected to strike again on his belated reappearance at Haydock, but his winner’s penalty proved too much and he had to make do with third.