Diamond Street out to shine in Newbury’s Hundred Grand Bumper

Impressive Doncaster winner Diamond Street leads Dan Skelton’s quest for back-to-back victories in the Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper at Newbury.

The Lodge Hill handler is double-handed in a race he won last year with the well-regarded Kadastral and joining his emphatic Town Moor scorer – who is the likely favourite – is The Mad Poet who was not disgraced in Listed company at Cheltenham in November.

Skelton said: “We’re happy with both horses – they’re very nice types and we’ve had this race in mind for some time.

“The Mad Poet would prefer better ground, while Diamond Street, who was very good at Doncaster, would want a bit more cut. We’re looking forward to running them both for good money.”

Harry Derham has had this valuable event pencilled in on Lover Desbois’ schedule for some time, and having banked course experience on debut when fourth to the subsequent Champion Bumper third Bass Hunter, did little wrong when opening his account at Kempton last month.

Derham said: “His Kempton win was good and we were very pleased with him.

“We’ve been training him for this race all season and he was entered in it last year, we just didn’t think it was the right thing to do for him and he wasn’t quite ready.

“This season has been designed by this race and he ran nicely at Newbury on debut before getting tired late on. We thought it was sensible to go there and start at Newbury if he was going to end up there this season, Kempton was a good step forward from that.

“He will need to step forward again if he is going to play a part, but he’s a lovely horse and has been prepared with this race in mind.”

Nicky Henderson will saddle Madam Speaker, who could give his Highclere owners plenty to shout about having caught the eye when second at Wincanton on debut, while Anthony Honeyball won this in 2023 and is this time represented by Bailly’s Comet.

Honeyball said: “Bailly’s Comet won his bumper at Wincanton and then finished third in the Listed four-year-old bumper at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, which was a good, competitive race.

“I feel like he’s done everything he can leading into this. It’s a fantastic race to have.”

Others arriving with early victories in their respective careers include Rebecca Curtis’ wide-margin Chepstow scorer Keltype, Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies’ Irish Goodbye and Mickey Bowen’s dual winner Way Maker.

Meanwhile, Alan King will saddle both Callisto Queen and the unraced Master Roque in a race he always likes to target.

King said: “Callisto Queen ran well when fourth at Warwick and the form has worked out OK. She’s a funny mare as she doesn’t come through the winter really well so we’ve not been able to get another run into her. I’ve basically trained her for this.

“Master Roque is a lovely horse who has done plenty of work. This is his first time out, but I would expect him to put up a decent show.

“We always try to run a few in this race and it’s an ideal race for young horses coming through.”