The recent form makes for interesting reading: second, third, second, then second again after a blank run, with another placed effort before that. Newbrook Diamond is clearly not disgracing itself — it is mixing it with winners on a consistent basis. The frustrating thing, if you are following this horse, is that consistent placing and consistent winning are two very different things, and at the moment the gaps between them feel significant.
Jack Kennedy, one of Ireland's most accomplished jump jockeys, has been the regular partner, riding in five of those six races without a win to show for it. That is no reflection on Kennedy — he is an elite rider — but it does underline that this is a horse still searching for the right combination of circumstances to finally get its head in front.
The operation behind Newbrook Diamond is as powerful as it gets. Gordon Elliott's yard in Longwood, County Meath, has sent out 209 winners already this season — a staggering number that puts the operation among the most prolific in the sport. When a yard is firing in winners at that kind of volume, they tend to know which horses are genuinely improving and which ones have found their level. The fact that Newbrook Diamond keeps getting runs suggests the team see something worth persisting with. After a short break of 39 days, the horse returns fresh, and fresh horses from busy yards often come back with a point to prove.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naas Galloping |
4 | 2 seconds, 2 other | 25 Jan | 0% |
| Punchestown Galloping |
2 | 1 second, 1 third | 18 Feb | 0% |