Fitzgerald shines on Diamond in opener

Shane Fitzgerald gave Rocky's Diamond a well judged ride from the front to spring a 22/1 shock in the opening four-year-old maiden hurdle at Limerick.

Declan Queally 's charge took them along in the two-miler and had a healthy lead going out on the final circuit.

The market leaders, Palamon (11/8f) and Mordor (6/4), tried to make up ground turning for home but Fitzgerald had kept a bit up his sleeve.

Rocky's Diamond, who traded as big as 100/1, galloped on strongly in the closing stages to record a five length win over the favourite.

The winner was taking a significant step forward from his debut effort at Gowran last month, having beaten only two home then.

"I had been disappointed with a couple of my runners in the past few weeks but was happy with the way this fella worked during the week and told David (Kiely, owner) to have a few quid on him,” said Queally.

"Shane gave him a great ride and he is a nice horse who jumps well. He is a half-brother to (six-time winner) The Little Yank, is a grand horse and we might send end up sending him to Doncaster (sales).

"His owner also had last year's champion point-to-pointer Rocky's Howya but he got a leg at the end of last year."

(Quotes by Tom Weekes)