Graham Holland’s campaign started badly when his first runner Black Parachute was eliminated on Friday, but he bounced back on Saturday with a treble via Wolfe, Ballydoyle Valor and Newinn Session.
With Lenson Bocko and Feudal Spirit also qualifying, Holland remains the most represented trainer in the second round. He though, remains in Golden, while wife Nicky is in charge of the Derby quintet at Dave Firmager’s kennel in Melton Mowbray.
Graham said: “Nicky is training them. We discuss what the plans are, but she is very very capable and ultimately makes all the decisions. We are missing having her around, but I think she is enjoying the challenge.
“The dogs have settled in well, with only Feudal Spirit, who is a bit excitable not quite there yet. But gradually starting to feel at home and should improve accordingly.
“I’ve been pleased with the preparation and it has really been helped by Nottingham; nothing has been too much trouble for Nathan Corden. It was the same last year, and you need that. It is quite an operation mounting a Derby challenge and you would like to think that the track are trying to help, rather than hinder, you.”
As regulars to his column on this site will surely have noted, Holland is a keen student of Irish form, and that is something that is particularly useful in this English Derby where the raiders have been so dominant and he makes no secret of his respect for Deerjet Sydney.
But how does he see his own chances on Saturday?
He said: “The draws haven’t been particularly kind and the first heat with Bocko drawn four and Session in five isn’t ideal though at least they are the right way round. In a perfect world, I would like Bocko in three but without any early pace on his inside. I did think about trialing him from six to see how he ran the bends, but then you could face a battle with the seeding committee to get a rails seeding.
“I thought he ran a massive race to take lengths out of Coolavanny Chick who is a very decent bitch and gets 575. Knocknaboul Syd is a decent little dog with good early pace though I am not convinced that he quite gets the 500 metres, and over 550 yards at Shelbourne Park I would always fancy Bocko to beat him.
“The five isn’t ideal but it isn’t a huge concern for Session. I think he will hold his line and hopefully take the bend a little better than last week. The biggest problem is that in Ireland the dogs are used to the hare being further around the bend as they reach it. Over here they can still see it and tend to run off until they get used to it.
“Ballydoyle Valor badly wants the inside, particularly at the bend though I think he will hold his line until he gets there. All I really want is a relatively trouble free race. He is a strong dog who will be running on well. It is now a five dog race and unless he is badly hampered, I would really expect him to qualify.”
“I am happy with Feudal Spirit’s draw. I thought he moved a bit right coming out of the boxes but would still expect him to rail. On Shelbourne form I think he can lead Antigua Boy to the bend and from there we will take our chances. Coolavanny Chick is capable of giving him a run but she has more pace on her inside this time and may struggle to get a clear run.”
“I thought Wolfe ran exceptionally well in the first round; like a lot of dogs who are schooled at Youghal, he runs a great bend. I don’t know a great deal about those on the outside though I have seen Savana Cody run. He was beaten in the final of an unraced stake at Shelbourne and has a decent bit of early. But I don’t think he has as much as Wolfe who I fancy to win this.”
