Diamond Bay can sparkle at a decent price on racing return

18:00 Southwell: Always Gamble Responsibly With BetUK Handicap (1 mile 4 furlongs)  

Bottom-weighted Heathen has attracted plenty of market interest after landing a nine-runner course-distance 0-75 handicap here 17 days ago on his stable debut after leaving Ed Dunlop for David O’Meara.

He is penalised six pounds for that effort and this 0-105 affair represents a huge step up in class that reduces his market leader value and suggests better options might be found elsewhere.

With four places available in places, Furzig and Oneforthegutter might attract an each-way flutter from those so inclined, while a more realistic prospects appears to be Graphite, who has landed close-up runner-up spots on his last two outings and might be ready to convert under Billy Loughnane.

Educator and Zealandia also offer scope for further progress, but the horse creating the biggest buzz within the Tipstrr camp is Tom Ward’s five-year-old Diamond Bay. 

Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Diamond Bay finishes in the first 3 places, get a £5 Free Bet

Equally at home on turf or synthetic surfaces, this capable gelding won at York in June and then again three races and three months later over a longer 14-furlong trip on Wolverhampton’s all-weather track.

Diamond Bay was last seen finishing a respectable sixth of 11 over two miles here in September, since when he has been rested for 107 days prior to this return to his preferred mile-and-a-half trip.

In his saddle for the first time is PJ McDonald, who knows his way to Southwell’s winner’s enclosure, having landed a couple of back-to-back winners here a week ago, so Diamond Bay is clearly in good hands to hit the ground running on his racing return.