Double delight for Brouder as Diamond shines again

After winning the opener on Cock A Doodle Doo Kevin Brouder completed his first double, as he partnered Like A Diamond to victory in the first divide of the Driftwood Restaurant Rosses Point Handicap Hurdle.

Successful on his last start at Roscommon, the Ian O'Connor trained eight-year-old was sent off a 9/2 this evening.

Towards the head of affairs throughout, the son of Antonius Pius held a definite advantage before the second last, and kept on well under pressure on the run-in, going on to score by a length and three parts. Neddyvaughan (7s this morning and from 9/2 into 4/1 favouritism on-course) kept on to take second under Darragh O'Keeffe, while One Cool Poet (7/1) was another half a length back in third.

"That's my first double and it's twelve or thirteen overall," said Listowel native Brouder.

"That's Ian's second winner now and he puts in some time with the horses.

"They get beach work, he has his own gallop too and he keeps chopping and changing things with them, including hacking up around the mountains.

"If you look at this horse's form early on - it was in and out - he probably wasn't happy but Ian has sweetened him up.

"He does different things every day with him - taking him away in the box - and it shows.

"He has four horses in training and he puts serious time into them so he deserves the success and there should be more to come."

STEWARDS REPORT

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Grey Atlantic Way trained by Edmond Daniel Linehan, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be post race normal.

Additional reporting by Eamonn Murphy