What a pleasure it was to see Diamond Days back on the racecourse on Thursday afternoon, as our six-year-old gelding made his eagerly awaited return for Joe Tizzard, producing an encouraging effort to finish fourth in the 16:39 Handicap Hurdle (Class 5), at Fontwell!

After spending time on the sidelines following treatment for a trapped nerve in his neck, simply having our boy back fit and ready to race was a hugely welcome sight for everyone connected with the Coral Racing Club. With Freddie Gingell back in the saddle, Diamond Days lined up against eight rivals over two miles, one furlong and 162 yards on ground described as good to soft, good in places.

WATCH: Freddie Gingell discuss his ride on Diamond Days at Fontwell

Our boy certainly wasn't lacking enthusiasm as the field set off, taking up a prominent position and travelling amongst the leading runners during the early stages. It was exactly the sort of positive start we had hoped to see from him following his absence, with Freddie allowing him to race handily and find his stride as the field tackled Fontwell's hurdles.

Uncle Remus, trained by Henrietta Knight and ridden by Brendan Powell, was keen to make his presence felt from the outset and set the pace at the head of the field. Diamond Days remained in the leading group as the race developed, although his jumping wasn't always as fluent as we know he is capable of producing. He showed a tendency to jump left at times and Freddie began asking him to increase his effort approaching the fourth-last hurdle.

As the runners turned towards the business end of the race, Uncle Remus continued to dictate matters from the front, eventually producing a commanding display to score by five and a half lengths. Behind the winner, the battle for the minor honours remained competitive, with Lord Of The Glance taking second and Castle Quarter finishing third. Diamond Days kept going to finish fourth, just one and a quarter lengths behind Castle Quarter and a little over eight lengths behind the winner.

WATCH: Joe Tizzard talk about Diamond Days' first run of the season

For a horse returning from a lengthy absence, there were certainly positives to take from the performance. Our boy showed his enthusiasm for racing, put himself into the action from an early stage and completed his return with a respectable fourth-place finish in a competitive nine-runner handicap.

Even better news came from the yard on this morning! Joe and the team have confirmed that Diamond Days has come out of his race in fantastic order, trotting up beautifully and looking super sharp. In fact, our boy is fresh as a daisy and already looks ready to go again!

After everything he's been through this year, that's exactly the news we wanted to hear. To see him back on the racecourse is one thing but to know he's bounced out of his return in such tremendous spirits is a huge boost for everyone involved. With the Jumps season gathering pace and Diamond Days clearly feeling on top of the world, there's plenty to look forward to as we eagerly await his next assignment!

Welcome back, Diamond Days! It's wonderful to see you carrying the Coral Racing Club colours once again and we can't wait to see what's next!