Can Grey Diamond land Listed prize and make a successful stable debut for Gordon Elliott?

Grey Diamond was snapped up for £35,000 from the Sam Thomas stable in May and we will soon find out whether that price was a bargain.

An emphatic winner of a handicap chase at Haydock in March off a mark of 135, he finished seventh behind Dancing On My Own in the Red Rum at Aintree next time but shaped better than the bare form there as he made a shuddering error at the last.

The nine-year-old begins life in Ireland off a rating of 139, only 4lb higher than his last winning mark, and it is easy to understand why the layers are taking no chances with him. He opened up 9-2 favourite with a few firms on Friday.

His new trainer Gordon Elliott won back-to-back runnings of this Listed handicap chase in 2018 and 2019 with Duca De Thaix and Avenir D'Une Vie, but only one favourite has obliged in the last decade — 7-2 shot Peoples Park in 2016.

Nothing is coming into the race in better form than Fighting Fit, the winner of his last two races at the Galway and Listowel festivals, but he has been hit with a 10lb hike for the latest of those and a career-high mark of 142 won't make life easy here.

Dancing On My Own is also up to a career-high mark. His rating has soared to 153, but it is hard to argue he doesn't deserve it. He won a competitive event at Cheltenham's October meeting off 151 and the runner-up won his next start. He has topweight, but another big display looks in the offing.

Whiskeywealth hit a low of 1.23 in-running on the Betfair Exchange coming down to the last in a handicap chase at the Irish Grand National meeting at this track, but the seven-year-old crashed out and left the way clear for Dinoblue to score.

The winner is now a leading fancy for the Mares' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival so that form looks very strong and Whiskeywealth only has a 2lb higher mark to overcome. He might be hard to catch with Mike O'Connor's 3lb claim.

What they say

Philip Dempsey, trainer of Fighting Fit
He's gone up a lot in the weights so it won't be easy. When you get up to this sort of level you have to keep on improving and hopefully he can. He seems to be in good form and I've been very happy with him at home since Listowel.

Fighting Fit: bidding for a hat-trickCredit: Patrick McCann

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Grey Diamond and Pats Choice
Grey Diamond is a nice addition to the yard and has had some good runs in handicap chases in England. He seems well in himself at home and this looked a nice place for him to start off. This might tell us where we stand with him with regard to the rest of the season. Pats Choice was a bit disappointing at Down Royal, but some of the fences being omitted wouldn't have helped his cause there. He'd been very consistent prior to that.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Solness
Ideally we'd like the ground to be drier for him, but Conor Stone-Walsh is very good value for his 5lb claim and we're hoping he can run a nice race.

Terence O'Brien, trainer of Whiskeywealth
He ran very well on his last visit to Fairyhouse when he just tipped up at the last and if he turns up in that sort of form you'd like to think he'll be there or thereabouts, although it looks a hot enough race. He was due to go to Cheltenham a few weeks ago but he just wasn't right so we didn't go. He seems to be back to himself now and back in good form.

Ross O'Sullivan, trainer of Bythesametoken
It's an ultra competitive race and I'd say we're definitely travelling more in hope than confidence. He's been jumping well and his win at Killarney gave him plenty of confidence, so hopefully we can pick up some prize-money.

Saturday previews:

11.45 Fairyhouse: 'He could be a smart one' - Nick Rockett bids to follow in the footsteps of Monkfish in Fairyhouse opener

1.40 Newbury: 'I hope there's lots of upside to him' - lightly raced Jet Powered returns in handicap hurdle

2.15 Newbury: Can smart filly Under Control give Nicky Henderson a record-extending tenth Gerry Feilden win?

2.35 Fairyhouse: 'I think he could really come into himself this season' - can Gust Of Wind blow his rivals away?

2.50 Newbury: 'The handicapper's given him a chance and I think he'll be right in the shake-up' - top trainers on the Coral Gold Cup

3.25 Newbury: Can the Tizzard team continue good record with classy topweight Elixir De Nutz?