Carmody hoping Diamond can sparkle at Curragh
While the prolific Ursa Major travels to Doncaster for the English St Leger, stable companion Royal Diamond stays at home for a tilt at the Irish equivalent.
The latter, a six-year-old, has been in tremendous form all year and he produced his best performance of the season when just touched off by Willing Foe in the Ebor Stakes at York late last month.
Tim Jones, racing manager to owner Andrew Tinkler, said: “We can stay closer to home and run him over a trip we know he is effective over.
“We are pitching him into a Group One for the first time, but it is probably the right Group One to be having a look at with a horse like him after his Ebor run.
“That was a cracking run. He has really built in confidence this year and is in great form.
“It was lovely to see him prominent all the way and still be in there fighting to the end in the Ebor.
“He came out of it so well and full of confidence. He seems to be thriving too, so there is no reason not to take our chance and let him run in the Irish Leger.”
Likely favourite will be Aidan O’Brien’s Fame And Glory.
Although he dropped away tamely when odds-on for the race last year and disappointed when similarly fancied for this year’s Ascot Gold Cup, victories in the 2011 Gold Cup and Long Distance Cup have shown him to be a champion stayer on his day.
If he can rediscover his best form, he will be very hard to beat.
