Advantage Goes To Team Holland

Graham Holland is enjoying an incredible run at the moment, he is throwing out winners left, right and centre from his base in Golden.

He has already bagged the Juvenile Classic in Tralee but now he has his sights set on the Easter Cup in Shelbourne Park, the Oaks in Cork and the Con and Annie Kirby stake in Limerick. Going by the way his dogs are preforming at the moment it will be no surprise to see him take all three!

Holland holds all the aces in the final of the Easter Cup with no less than three runners in the field. Sidarian Blaze (7/4) took the opening semi-final, after a level break he had a slight coming together with Slippery Fred (7/4) in the opening yards of the contest but didn’t lose too much ground he turned the second corner a clear second and was within two lengths of Fred passing the sprint box.

From here it was race on to see who was going to get the inside line around the final two turns and Blaze won this battle, he drove a lovely third and fourth bend slipped up the inside and took the shortest route home. Blaze was stuck to the rail up the home straight and held off the game Slippery Fred by a neck by the time they reached the judge in 29.93.

Highview Premier (12/1) ran on very strong to take the third qualifying spot. Holland struck again in the second semi-final with Coran Sky (7/2) who showed a fine dash of early pace to the corner after a flying start from trap one, he drifted towards the middle of the track and turned the back straight clear of Laughil Duke (8/1).

It looked race over from here because Sky has form over 575 but Laughil Duke made him work for his win. He absolutely flew from the third corner and only went down by a head when the line came in 29.87. Duke has only six races ran in his short career and looks to be a huge improver, he is one for the notebook.

Gaytime Hawk (14/1) finished third here and is likely to go off outsider in the final, but he does boast a 28.29 win on his card three weeks ago and I can think of worse 14/1 shots to back! Looking at the trap draw for the final I would be fancying Slippery Fred on the basis of getting handed the red jacket, it’s going to be some race to the bend, Coran Sky is also well drawn in trap three.

In Limerick we are down to the quarter finals of the Con and Annie Kirby puppy stake. The ante post favourite in our book Droopys Braedon (4/1) made it six out of six in the final heat on Saturday night, showing his trade mark fast trapping and early pace he ran out a very comfortable winner in 28.49.

The fastest time of the night came from the Pat Buckley trained Coolavanny Jap (6/1), he took a flyer from trap 3 and turned his heat into a procession in a slick 28.22, Jap is a dog with plenty of experience and it will stand to him in this competition. Beaming Boost (8/1) made it a double on the night for Buckley as he took up the running going into the opening bend before stopping the clock in 28.53.

Other heat winners of note were Rural Hawaii (8/1) for the in form Holland kennels, he showed real nice early dash to clear the first corner from the outside and won in 28.48, Cunning Barney (6/1) continued to show his liking for this Limerick circuit making it three in a row in 28.57. This competition is still wide open with any number of dogs capable of taking away this massive prize!

The Cork Oaks was again dominated by the man at the moment Graham Holland when he had yet another double, the ante post favourite Rockburst Mills (2/1) set the standard in the fastest of the night 28.40, this daughter of Droopys Cain is in top form at the moment and will be hard to beat. Leeview Lady (7/1) was the second part of the Holland double, Lady didn’t get the clearest of runs around the opening two bends but her class pulled her through and she went on to score in 29.11.

Slippery Hanna (11/2) won the opening heat in 28.50, this Robert Gleeson trained female took up the running off the second bend and from here it was one way traffic as she is a confirmed stayer. Rockburst Mills is the one they all have to beat here as she has the perfect combination of both early pace and stamina.

We also have betting up for the Red Mills unraced bitch stake in Newbridge where Frazer Black unleashed a serious weapon in the shape of Droopys Streak who won her second round heat in a near record 28.28 all eyes will be on this lady in Friday nights semi-final.

Keep an eye out online at www.Boylesports.com for these stakes and a host of others which are currently taking place on both sides of the Irish Sea. Boylesports your number one bookmaker for Greyhounds.