Murphy hoping Ballymore hope improves

Timmy Murphy hopes for an improved performance from Diamond Harry in the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Nick Williams' charge, an impresive winner of the Challow Hurdle at Newbury in December, maintained his unbeaten record with a narrow win over Bensalem at Cheltenham last month.

"His most impressive run was at Newbury and to be honest I was just a little disappointed with him at Cheltenham the last time," the jockey told At The Races.

"Saying that Alan King's horse in second is not too bad and the ground was very, very hard work, especially for a horse to quicken out of it.

"He's not a horse who needs company. He's great by himself, he is very, very tough but the ground was very tacky. He is a big, gangly horse who hasn't fully matured and it took a lot of out of him. Alan's horse looked to be stronger and probably handled it a bit better."