Champion trainer Graham Holland has no plans for runners in this year’s William Hill 
Greyhound Derby – despite having one of Ireland’s outstanding candidates in Clares Rocket.
The son of Confident Rankin was just five spots outside the Limerick 525 yard track record when landing his semi final of the Kirby Memorial by eight lengths from the unbeaten Witches Belle in 28.00.
He said: “There are no plans to travel at this moment and I don’t see that changing. We sent Sidarian Vega to Charlie Lister after the Easter Cup but Clares Rocket is too young. The way I look at it, you don’t send a boy to do a man’s job. If you look back at the English Derby at the dogs who get to the latter stages, not many of them come back as good the following year and Rocket could win a lot of decent competitions if we look after him.”
Clares Rocket’s Derby quality can be judged by the fact that he will be a short priced favourite to win at Limerick despite the presence of the 16-1 Wimbledon ante post favourite Droopys Roddick who landed the other qualifier in 28.52.
Holland has three runners in next weekend’s final, with Rocket joined by two Larry O’Rourke owned pups by the Holland’s former star Knockglass Billy.
The Tipperary based handler said: “I am happy enough with Rocket’s draw. I certainly didn’t want one, though ideally I would have preferred three or four. As for the brothers, if I had the choice I would swap their traps.”
