Jacob delighted with Diamond Harry

Gold Cup hopeful Diamond Harry was “bouncing” when teamed up with his big-race jockey Daryl Jacob this morning.

The Hennessy Gold Cup winner, trained in Devon by Nick Williams, is going straight to the Festival without another run and the race cannot come soon enough.

Diamond Harry finished 15 lengths in front of Denman at Newbury, but will be nearly two stones worse off at Cheltenham and while Jacob is aware of that, he is also keen not to dismiss the chances of Denman’s stablemate Kauto Star.

“I sat on him this morning and he’s absolutely bouncing, he’s in great form,” said Jacob.

“Nick was saying he wishes the race was tomorrow, he’s that well and that fresh in himself.

“Nick will have him primed for the big day and hopefully he’s going there with a real live chance.

“He’s got a bit of form to find with Denman with the turn around at the weights, but hopefully he’ll be spot on on the day and we can have a shot at it.

“Long Run was very impressive (in the King George) but you can’t write off Kauto Star no matter what you read.

“He’s had one bad run and while his form at Down Royal maybe wasn’t great he probably wasn’t tuned up that day.

“After one bad run everyone is trying to write him off but I’d never write him off, that’s for sure,” he told At The Races.