Diamond on the mend

Carte Diamond will remain in Australia and is set to be campaigned for this year’s renewal of the Melbourne Cup.

Brian Ellison’s five-year-old impaled his hind-leg on a metal stake after crashing through a running rail in a workout ahead of the 2005 contest, which was won by Makybe Diva.

Ellison revealed his charge, who finished second behind Sergeant Cecil in the totesport Ebor at York last summer, is making excellent progress and will hopefully return for Australia’s greatest race in November – as long as he continues to improve at the Cranbourne veterinary clinic under top specialist Barry Smith.

Ellison said: “He is still at the vets and Barry has done a fantastic job - it’s a real good place and he’s a fantastic patient.

“The next step is for him to get some physio on the leg. They have all the facilities and he’ll then start swimming.

“We have to keep our fingers crossed that the incident hasn’t affected him mentally.

“He will go to a racing stable when he leaves the vets and the plan is for Lorraine (Ellison’s daughter) to go out and prepare him for a couple of races ahead of the Cup,” the North Yorkshire-based handler told the Racing Post.