Features / Timeform / 04 March 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform looks at two of the smaller National Hunt yards who have made a big impact so far this season....

"Diamond Harry has duly obliged on both of his starts over the larger obstacles. He will go to the RSA Chase at the Festival as a major threat to the two Nicky Henderson trained market leaders."

Nick Williams has cultivated a small but talented group of horses and he looks ready to make an impact on the biggest stage. The stable star is Diamond Harry, a winner of nine of his eleven starts to date. Williams seemed to be caught in two minds as to whether to stick to hurdles after an excellent novice campaign or tackle fences, but, after he was beaten into third by Big Bucks in the Long Walk Hurdle, the chase route was chosen, and Diamond Harry has duly obliged on both of his starts over the larger obstacles. He will go to the RSA Chase at the Festival as a major threat to the two Nicky Henderson trained market leaders. Reve de Sivola, owned by the same partnership as Diamond Harry, is following a similar path and landed the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle at Newbury in December. He will go for the Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Festival, and considering he defeated second favourite Finian's Rainbow in the Challow, the 13 available on Betfair looks like reasonable value. The yard also sent out Pistolet Noir to win a Grade 2 before the horse was transferred to Paul Nicholls.

In just her third season of training, Rebecca Curtis has overseen a rapid increase in winners and the number of horses under her care in the last twelve months. Her horses have been in particularly fine form in the last fortnight, with five winners coming from just nine runners sent out. Amongst these victories were two for Marodima, who is enjoying a renaissance and won over both two and three miles. The yard look to have a couple of smart handicap prospects in the shape of the Jigsaw Man and Black Jack Blues, and her growing association with Tony McCoy only serves to enhance her reputation as a trainer, and it was on McCoys advice that leading owner J. P. McManus snapped up Made In Time, a smart looking bumper prospect who has an entry at Cheltenham. The Newport trainer is definitely one to watch and the yard looks destined for bigger and better things.

Tags: Black Jack Blues, Diamond Harry, Jigsaw Man, Made In Time, Marodima, Nick Williams, Rebecca Curtis, Reve de Sivola