Another Champion Hurdle for Holloway?
There has been top-class racing at Newcastle, Oxford and Hove in the past few days, but there is only one Category One final down for decision this weekend. That’s at Crayford tonight with the Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle Final.
Worth £10,000 to the winner and run for just the second time at the Kent track, Ricky Holloway has four chances to make it a record seventh win in the competition. Previous wins have come from Soviet Military (2013), Razldazl Raidio (2016), Lenson Wilson (2018), Turnhouse Jet (2019), Tookmaker Daddy (2021) and Lenson Doolin here last year.
Holloway sends out Harlequin Ernie, Dazl Hermes, Razldazl Randall and Four From Two in the 380m feature. Harlequin Ernie represents last year’s winning owner Simon Trubshaw, while Dazl Hermes is a litter brother of Holloway’s Premier Greyhound Racing Golden Jacket winner Dazl Rolex. Is a famous family double on the cards?
Holloway’s four runners take on two other Crayford-based runners in Allison Kelly-Pilgrim’s Droopys Fivestar and Barry O’Sullivan’s Nunhead Shiv. The latter is the oldest finalist, the sole bitch in the contest and could set the tempo outside.
However, the improving Harlequin Ernie (7.16) gets a narrow vote to make the most of the inside slot to grab gold and add his name to a famous roll of honour which, Holloway’s sextet aside, also includes the likes of the prolific-scoring Platinumlancelot (2009), Plane Daddy (2011) and Cornamaddy Jumbo (2014).
First staged at Wimbledon in 1990 before moving briefly to Towcester when the Plough Lane stadium closed, the Champion Hurdle was staged for many years at Central Park before being taken on by Crayford in 2023 – very much a pro-hurdles track.
Here are four of the best to watch out for tonight.
Miss Syd (6.26): A litter sister of Champion Hurdle finalist Harlequin Ernie, Miss Syd is a regular winner over the 540m trip and looks set to pace up handily tonight.
Water Lane (6.42): Runs from a plum draw in stripes in the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Cup Final. The margins look tight, but a lead for Darren Whitton’s dog looks a possibility.
A Mystical Love (7.33): Lots to find with Punk Rock Athena on their 714m clash but the extra distance suits the Central Park raider who could raise the roof in the marathon.
Razldazl Barkley (8.07): Made a real splash on his hurdles debut when clocking the fastest time in the heats of the Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle. He can get back on track.
