Glen's Diamond sparkles in Yorkshire Cup shock

Report: York, Friday

Qipco Yorkshire Cup (British Champions Series) (Group 2) 1m6f, 4yo+

GLEN'S DIAMOND caused a major upset in the Yorkshire Cup, the 25-1 shot going one better than he managed in the race last year behind Red Cadeaux, to land the biggest win of jockey Tony Hamilton's career.

A photo-finish was required to separate the all-the-way leader and the fast finishing 11-4 favourite Top Trip, who came within a nose of justifying his position at the head of the market.

"I knew it was close but I didn't know I had won." said a delighted Hamilton. "He was keen in his races last year so I was left to it. I just jumped out and rested my hands on his neck and he pricked his ears in front. It's my biggest winner and I'm delighted it happened at York."

Hurried into the lead by Hamilton, Glen's Diamond cut out the fractions and, as the field came down the centre of the track, no horse was travelling stronger than the five-year-old whose career highlight previously came in the 2011 Group 3 Dee Stakes.

That success at Chester also happened to be his last win and Glen's Diamond snapped a losing run of ten starts with victory on the Knavesmire.

The victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he has only once finished better than fourth in that time, in the Yorkshire Cup last year, and it is clearly a race that falls perfectly for the Richard Fahey-trained gelding.

There was just a nose between Glen's Diamond and Top Trip at the line, but the way the race unfolded for both could not have been more diametrically opposed.

While Glen's Diamond bounced out, was exuberant and took an early lead and three furlongs out was travelling all over his rivals, Mickael Barzalona had a far tougher time on the Francois Doumen-trained colt.

The four-year-old was always reluctant, had to be pushed along to hold his position towards the rear of the field and never really picking up the bit. Top Trip was jostled and niggled along throughout, indeed the only point at which he looked like he would figure in the finish was in the closing stages.

As Glen's Diamond kicked clear and the field faded away, Top Trip, still plugging on, was the only one who could go with him. And as the duo entered the final furlong and a half, he slowly ground into the lead, the pair passing the line in unison, the judge and his magnifying glass required to separate them. The pair pulled three and a quarter lengths clear of the third, Royal Diamond.

Of Top Trip Doumen said: "I'm never pleased when I get beat by a couple of inches. However, it was his biggest test and I'm still happy to find out we've have a good horse. It wasn't his ideal surface but he proven he's very well and that he stays.

"He can be a bit lazy but he's kicked on at the end and he's just not had enough. I never set targets straight after the heat of the battle."

Glen's Diamond was given a quote of 66-1 for the Melbourne Cup by Paddy Power.