Hanlon's Diggin Deep has Haydock prize in his sights Suncroft County Kildare trainer Stephen Michael Hanlon has done very well since taking over with Royal Anthem gelding, Diggin Deep, and he turns the nine-year-old’s attentions to fences today at Haydock. Fellow Kildare native William Kennedy will take the reins when Diggin Deep competes in this afternoon’s University Of Liverpool Thoroughbred Horseracing Industries MBA Handicap Chase. Hanlon’s charge hasn’t run since May. However he had really hit form in a campaign that began around this time last year, winning three from six and placing on two other occasions. That was highly impressive, given Diggin Deep’s lengthy record as a maiden previously. He didn’t convince in three outings over fences in 2017, when not always impressing with his jumping. The Irish raider looks a different horse now though, and he could well be up to keeping pace with apparent front-runners for this extended three mile one furlong heat, Cobolobo, and Speak Of The Devil.
