Diamond Harry camp look to the future

Devon handler Nick Williams believes Diamond Harry ran up to his very best at the Cheltenham Festival – despite losing his unbeaten record in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

The Grade One-winning novice hurdler hit the front two out under Timmy Murphy but had no answer to Mikael D’Haguenet’s turn of foot in the straight and lost second to Karabak inside the final furlong.

“I thought he ran up to his best,” said Williams.

“It was a very different race from the Challow Hurdle, in which he was able to win easily from Junior – but he beat Junior a lot further last week.

“So while some people might knock him, I think he ran up to his very best form.

“I see him as a novice chaser now – he looks the part and I think he’ll be a formidable novice chaser.”