Amo Racing is set to have its first runner over jumps after retaining a 50 per cent share in Diligo, a three-year-old gelding who will be trained by Max Comley.
Kia Joorabchian’s purple silks have become a familiar sight in major Flat races, but this is the first time the operation has placed a horse in training for a hurdling career.
The son of Wootton Bassett will race for Amo Racing and S W Racing, with each owning half of the horse. He is expected to make his jumping debut during the coming months.
Who Is Diligo?
Diligo began his career as a well-bred Flat prospect with a large price tag.
Amo Racing and Al Shaqab Racing paid 200,000 guineas for him as a yearling. He was sent into training with Joseph O’Brien in Ireland and made two appearances on the Flat.
He finished fourth on his debut at Gowran Park in April before taking third at Navan in May. Those efforts showed some promise, but not enough for him to remain with O’Brien as a Flat horse.
Diligo returned to the sales at Tattersalls in July, where Comley bought him for 42,000 guineas. Amo Racing then asked to keep its 50 per cent interest, and Richard Sheppard’s S W Racing agreed to take the other half.
His pedigree remains one of the main points of interest. Diligo is by top sire Wootton Bassett and out of Daldiyna, making him a half-brother to Group Three winner Interpretation.
That family link gives some hope that he will have the stamina required for hurdling.
A Big Name for Max Comley’s Yard
The arrival of Amo Racing is also an important moment for Max Comley.
Comley has held a full training licence for less than two years, although he built plenty of experience with point-to-pointers.
With fewer than 50 horses in his yard, support from one of the best-known owners in British Flat racing is a major boost.
Comley said he was excited when Amo asked to stay involved after the sale. He also suggested that the operation was turning its attention to having more than one jumper.
Diligo’s progress will now be watched closely. A good start could encourage Joorabchian to add further jumpers, either from the sales or from Amo’s existing Flat team.
Why Is Amo Racing Moving into Jump Racing?
Amo Racing has grown into a major force on the Flat through heavy spending and a willingness to buy horses at the top end of the market.
Jump racing offers a different type of chance. Horses often stay in training for longer, and a popular chaser or hurdler can build a strong following over several seasons.
It also gives Amo Racing another option for horses whose Flat careers do not develop as first hoped.
A horse can fail to win on the Flat yet improve when given more time, a longer distance and obstacles.
Diligo fits that type of profile. He was expensive as a yearling and has a strong pedigree, but his first two runs did not show that he was likely to reach the top on the Flat.
Switching to hurdles gives him a fresh chance to show what he can do.
Could Diligo Become a Cheltenham Festival Horse?
It is far too early to say whether Diligo will be good enough for the Cheltenham Festival.
As a three-year-old preparing to go hurdling, he could enter the wider discussion around juvenile hurdles and the Triumph Hurdle. Yet neither Comley nor Joorabchian has named Cheltenham as a target.
Bookmaker Coral offered odds of 20/1 about Amo Racing owning or training a winner at its first Cheltenham Festival.
That price applies to the operation as a whole and should not be mistaken for a direct price about Diligo winning the Triumph Hurdle.
His opening races should tell connections much more.
If he wins and improves, better juvenile contests could come into the conversation. If he needs more time, there is no reason to rush him towards a major spring target.
At this stage, the main aim will be to prepare him properly, get some experience into him and see how he responds to jumping in race conditions.
A Small Start That Could Lead to More
Diligo may not be the costly star many would have expected to carry Amo Racing’s colours over jumps for the first time.
That makes the choice more interesting.
Rather than beginning with a huge purchase and instant Festival talk, Amo has kept a share in a horse it already knows and placed him with a young trainer.
There are no firm targets and no promises about where the project will lead. Diligo still has to show that he can jump and that his Flat ability will transfer to hurdling.
However, Amo Racing has now taken its first real step into National Hunt racing.
If Diligo performs well, those purple silks may become a much more regular sight at jump meetings in the years ahead.
