Festival ace the forgotten horse in World Hurdle

While it's undeniably early days, it's a fair while since a horse has impressed as much on its chasing bow as Diamond King did at Galway on Tuesday.

Ballybrit wouldn't be the easiest track at which to make your debut but Gordon Elliott's eight-year-old made light of it, and it was particularly encouraging to see him go short when he needed to without ever breaking his rhythm.

He's older than ideal if the JLT is going to be his spring target – all winners thus far have been six or seven – but he has laid down a marker and it will be interesting to see how this market takes shape, with Yorkhill currently at the head of it.