Ethical Diamond underdog no more

DUBAI – Ethical Diamond is no longer a surprise package and enters the US$6 million (S$7.68 million) Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (2,400m) at Meydan on March 28 as a horse who, from now on, must be considered a bona fide contender for any major middle-distance prize.

The six-year-old gelding’s performance in flying wide and late around the field and leading home a world-class field in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf (2,400m) on Nov 1, 2025 was one that will live long in the memory.

Not only did it expose both trainer Willie Mullins and rising star jockey Dylan Browne McMonagle to a whole new audience, but it also represented the top of an extraordinary upward curve.

This time last year, Ethical Diamond had just finished fourth in a handicap hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the biggest meeting in the sport of jump racing, before being switched back to the flat.

The son of Awtaad does not boast a stellar CV in his alternative jumping career either. He has had seven of his 15 starts over hurdles for one win in a Maiden over 3,200m at Punchestown.

Just after Christmas in 2024, he was beaten a whopping 43 lengths in a handicap hurdle over the two miles at Leopardstown.

However, the penny dropped when he was switched to flat. He went on to win both the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, a 2,400m handicap at Royal Ascot on June 20, 2025, and the Ebor over 2,800m at York on Aug 23, 2025.

But coming up against Group 1 regulars such as Rebel’s Romance – a notable absentee in the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2026 – in the end-of-year championship at Del Mar was another level entirely.

On his first visit to Dubai, it has been so far, so good.

“He’s flown over very well,” said Mullins. “It’s still a busy time over here and I’ve kept the same team that travelled with him last time.

“So Sean Cleary-Farrell has gone over, and everyone seems very happy with how he’s settled in.

“I don’t think he’ll do a lot this week. We’ve hopefully sent him over there as fit as a flea.”

Mullins, who is now preparing his large string of jumps horses for big targets in the European spring at home, has had the added pressure of getting Ethical Diamond back in shape for his Dubai raid.

“I see he’s had the longest break of any of the horses in the field without a run, but I had always wanted to give him a break after America,” he said.

“It’s the start of a long year for him but we’ve tried to get him as fit as we can at home.”

Anyone who follows jump racing in the heartlands of Ireland, UK and France, will know how dominant the 69-year-old Mullins is.

Now 19 times winner of the domestic title, he has even been British champion trainer twice in recent years, won the Grand National and Cheltenham majors, rewriting the record books in the process.

Mullins has even landed major jumps prizes in Japan and America, while Australians have become accustomed to some of his hurdlers switching back to chase the Melbourne Cup.

There have been some big flat triumphs along the way, including a Group 1 Irish St Leger (2,800m) with Wicklow Brave in 2016, and in Australia and Saudi Arabia with his smart stayer True Self.

But Ethical Diamond has taken him into different territory and perhaps further again, should he manage to upset the world champion Calandagan on Saturday.

The regard in which Mullins is held would suggest he could become a leading international figure should he ever decide to have more of a sustained focus on the flat.

But he remains typically unflappable about his latest task.

“It’s a tough race,” he said. “I’ve seen he’s second favourite and hopefully he can run well. If he can finish in the first three, I think we’ll be happy.

“We are always trying to buy dual-purpose horses but I think after last year he’s gone from a dual-purpose horse to just a flat horse.

“I suppose he surprised us all in America and hopefully now he’ll be able to maintain that, to hold that sort of position.”

As for young Irish champion jockey Browne McMonagle, who now rides in Hong Kong, the world has been his oyster since the Breeders’ Cup Turf win.

“It doesn’t get much better than this. To have a few rides here is huge, but to win one of the big races is massive,” he then said.

He has since added one more global win in Saudi Arabia on the Joseph O’Brien-trained Sons And Lovers on Feb 14, and gets a chance to sparkle again if he breaks through at one of world racing’s biggest stages. DUBAI RACING CLUB