Diplomat was too good for Inis Meain & company at Killarney© Photo Healy Racing
Diplomat put up a most creditable performance for a three-year-old when taking the www.thetote.com Kingdom Gold Cup Handicap at Killarney for Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen (now four behind Joseph O'Brien in the race to be Champion Jockey). Inis Meain made a bold bid from the front here. However from over a quarter of a mile to race he had to contend with challenges from gamble of the contest Authorization (16s this morning into 5/1) and Princeton Plains (5s into 7/2 on track).
However Diplomat (owned and bred by Kenneth L Ramsey & Sarah K Ramsey) scooted through to launch his bid looking like 'a fresh horse' from the furlong pole and at the line he was a length up on the aforementioned Princeton Plains with a short head back to Inis Meain. That trio left Buy Back Bob six and a half lengths back in fourth.
Smullen said: "I thought it was very competitive beforehand and it was a good performance for a three-year-old.
"The step-up in trip helped him and I just had to wait for room to appear at the top of the straight."
The legendary Vintage Crop won this race for the Rosewell House team back in 1992 when it was run at Tralee under the banner of the Carling Gold Cup Extended Premier Handicap. (TW & EM)
