Lenson Doolin, the outstanding novice hurdler since the start of the year, duly landed the ARC Springbok with plenty in hand.
It was a fourth Springbok success as a trainer for Holloway, having previously won a couple as an owner Rossa Ranger and Keysers Hill. So how does Doolin compare?
Ricky said: “He is right up there. He was straight of the flat and has never done anything wrong but he does get a bit bored. If you watch him coming around the last bend he eases up as though to say ‘where are you?’.
“That was the reason I gave him a trial at Crayford between the first and second round. I made that mistake in the Champion Hurdle, of running him five times a row at the same track.”
Next on the agenda for Doolin is the Kent Champion Hurdle at Crayford, though Holloway admits he is finding it increasingly difficult to find hurdle races.
He said: “There is so little in this end of the country at the moment. In the short term there is the Jimmy Jupp Memorial at Hove on Saturday but because of the track policy, I will have to take two of the dogs down to Hove tomorrow to trial.
“I’m really hoping to hear that Towcester start their hurdle racing shortly. I understand that the hurdles are ready but so far I haven’t been able to book trials.”
