Ricky Holloway's greyhounds dominated the heats of the Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle at Crayford on Sunday.
Just days after announcing the sad passing of his former star jumper Razldazl Raidio, the 2016 Champion Hurdle winner, Holloway's current team secured victories in three of the four heats.
Razldazl Barkley, bred by Dolores Ruth like Razldazl Raidio, clocked the fastest time. In heat two, Barkley led from start to finish, securing a comfortable six-length victory over Allison Kelly Pilgrim’s Droopys Fivestar in 23.31 seconds for the 380m race. Harlequin Ernie, another Holloway trainee, kicked off the successful evening in heat one by taking the lead at the first bend and winning over Jean Liles’s Good Ellie in 23.85 seconds. The hat-trick was completed by Four From Two in heat four, who broke smartly but initially trailed behind another Holloway entry, Magical Oscar. Four From Two then navigated through traffic at the third bend to win by a length and a quarter over Dave Lee’s Mind Your Toes in 23.95 seconds.
In heat three, Barry O’Sullivan’s Traceys Sydney prevented a Holloway clean sweep by securing an all-the-way victory over Holloway’s Dazl Hermes in 23.54 seconds.
Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle Semi-Finals Trap Draw - Crayford, 380m:
First Semi-Final:
1. Swift Quincey (Ricky Holloway)
2. Harlequin Ernie (Ricky Holloway)
3. Razldazl Barkley (m) (Ricky Holloway)
4. Razldazl Randall (m) (Ricky Holloway)
5. Mind Your Toes (m) (Dave Lee)
6. Droopys Fivestar (w) (Allison Kelly Pilgrim)
Second Semi-Final:
1. Dazl Hermes (Ricky Holloway)
2. Good Ellie (m) (Jean Liles)
3. Traceys Sydney (m) (Barry O’Sullivan)
4. Signet Harper (m) (Ricky Holloway)
5. Four From Two (w) (Ricky Holloway)
6. Nunhead Shiv (w) (Barry O’Sullivan)