O'Sullivan hoping Diamond can shine at Cheltenham

Ross O'Sullivan sent out his 16th winner of the season (seasonal-best was 22 last term) when Sky And Sand scored at Gowran yesterday and had news of his sole Cheltenham Festival entry which is Found A Diamond in the Pertemps Final on Thursday.

The Diamond Boy gelding, ridden in his last six starts by stable conditional Shane Markey, has won twice on home soil this season and was third in a Pertemps qualifier at Haydock last month. He is the lowest-weighted of the 33 six-day entries for the three-mile contest.

"The owner Tommy Ward (who also owns O'Sullivan's 2024 Fred Winter runner-up Eagles Reign  is mad keen to go," said the Kill, Co Kildare trainer.

"How far he will be out of the handicap depends on if the top weight (Impose Toi) runs, but he should definitely get in as there won't be a full field in the race.

"He is well and if it lashes rain on the Thursday, it would be lovely, as he is tough and stays well."

Additional reporting by Tom Weekes