Diamond Exchange sends Dundalk favourite backers home happy The Jessica Harrington-trained Diamond Exchange sent favourite backers home happy when staying on in determined fashion to land the concluding Racing Next Tuesday 13th January Maiden at Dundalk. Leading in the early stages of this contest, jockey Keithen Kennedy was content to sit second after outsider Lady Crossing went on after a furlong. Regaining the advantage early in the straight, 9/4f Diamond Exchange was strongly pressed by Yutori over a furlong from the finish. However, the daughter of Wootton Basset found plenty when challenged, keeping on well to hold the runner-up by half-a-length. Keithen Kennedy said: "I was over in Dubai there for a while, great experience over there. Thanks to Mrs Harrington and Kate for letting me go over there and enjoy that experience. "Great to get Mrs Harrington's first runner and first winner on the board for 2026. "She did it in spite of everything there tonight - her trip is a mile and a-half and she probably wants a dig in the ground. She wasn't in love with the surface, but she did it in spite of it. She was even idling a little bit when I hit the front. "She has good form on the turf, she had the form in the race tonight. "She is going to be a nice filly to look forward to for the summer." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
