Bockos Diamond brilliance sees Holland make Irish Derby history
“BOCKOS DIAMOND is the greatest ever,” exclaimed Shelbourne Park commentator Ian Fortune after Graham Holland's superstar completed his unbeaten march through the Classic by winning the €125,000 BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby final.
Taking his winning sequence to 15, the September 2022 son of Dorotas Wildcat and Seaglass Shadow was sent off the shortest-priced favourite in Irish Derby final history, 30/100, and was in command before the opening turn.
Kennelmate Cheap Sandwiches was gallant in defeat as Holland landed a one-two but the winner was never threatened and scored a length in 29.25sec on a wet Dublin night which meant his track record of 28.94sec was safe.
It was an historic fourth Irish Greyhound Derby win for his Tipperary-based trainer Holland which sees him take his place in the history books by becoming only the third trainer in the almost 100-year history of the Irish Greyhound Derby to achieve that feat.
He joins trainers Tom Lynch (who completed his last win in 1967) and Gay McKenna (in 1972).
The rain could not dampen the spirts of the owners, the 'Remember Them Syndicate' as there were jubilant scenes on the podium for the presentation for their winning greyhound.
Semi-finals
BOCKOS DIAMOND equalled his own 550 yards track record with another brilliant display in the opening semi-final of the BoyleSports Irish Derby at Shelbourne Park.
Graham Holland's star was in command from the outset courtesy of a 3.27sec sectional and maintained his unbeaten record in the event as he went on to beat Juvenile Derby champion Callaway Knegare by five and a half lengths in 28.94sec with Oaks heroine A Lucky Julie claiming the third qualifying position.
Holland completed a double by sending out Cheap Sandwiches to take the second semi by four lengths from Irish Cesarewitch winner Singalong Dolly with English Derby runner-up Boylesports Bob third. The winning time was 29.13sec.
Quarter-finals
JUST four spots separated three of the four quarter-final winners in the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby.
Carrick Aldo (29.15sec) took honours on the clock, Bombay Pat posted 29.19sec as he maintained his unbeaten record in the event with ante-post favourite Bockos Diamond matching it as he overcame a modest start to do likewise.
The other quarter-final went to A Lucky Julie in 29.31sec.
Round three
BOCKOS DIAMOND rewrote the history books at Shelbourne Park as round three of the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby got off to a sensational start.
Sent off 1/5 favourite for the opening heat, Graham Holland's star immediately made his intentions clear as he took total command, initially passing through the third-bend sectional in a new best of 16.63sec, five spots better than his own mark set eight days earlier, and then crossed the line in 28.94sec, taking five again off Pestana's previous track record.
It was a 13th career victory in 14 starts for Bockos Diamond, the trainer going on to complete a heat four-timer courtesy of Cheap Sandwiches (29.18sec), Bombay Pat (29.30sec) and Untold Dollar (29.34sec).
Round two
LITTER-brothers Bockos Diamond and March On Freddie dazzled in sharply contrasting styles to set the bar exceptionally high in the opening session of the BoyleSports Irish Derby second round at Shelbourne Park.
Pride of place went to Graham Holland's Bockos Diamond, who was just four spots outside the track record when beating an also very impressive Tuono Charlie by a length and a half in heat seven, clocking 29.03sec in making all including a best-ever third bend sectional of 16.68sec.
Earlier, the David Mullins-trained March On Freddie had kept the UK flag flying courtesy of a tremendous display of trackcraft in heat three as he waited his moment then bravely dived inside to take command at the third bend on his way to a 29.53sec success.
Ballinabola Jim produced the run of Saturday night in round two. Completing a six-timer, Brendan Murphy‘s dog was soon in control and came home nine and a half lengths clear of Callaway Knegare in a superb 29.07sec.
Round one
BOCKOS DIAMOND justified his position as outright favourite by setting the first night standard in the BoyleSports Irish Greyhound Derby over 550 yards at Shelbourne Park.
A modest start in heat two proved only a temporary blip as he flew round in 29.23sec with trainer Graham Holland going on to complete a treble after end-of-meeting victories for Clona Pat and Bombay Pat, the last-named's 29.34sec particularly noteworthy in the last race of the night.
Litter-brother March On Freddie then put down a huge marker of his own with a brilliant best-of-round 29.19sec victory in heat 18 the following night.
David Mullins' UK raider was sent off 3-10 favourite and made those odds look generous in the extreme as he led into the turn and then really turned it on along the back straight.
None of his rivals, the closest pursuer of whom was Irish Leger runner-up Miami King, could live with him as he came home seven lengths to the good in a time only one spot slower than Seven Beach's best-of-year in August.