RICKY HOLLOWAY landed back-to-back Cearnsport Springbok titles at Central Park on Sunday as Burgess Brandy completed an unbeaten run through the novice hurdlers’ championship.

The Feb 2016 son of Vans Escalade and Borna Helena hit the front approaching the third bend in Sunday’s £5,000 final, denying longtime leader and favourite Mane Mane, before holding the challenge of Droopys Trawler up the run-in.

“He was so brave, especially at that third bend when challenging inside Mane Mane,” said Holloway. “He’s just got a great will to win, and I’m delighted to have won the Springbok for a fifth time – three now as a trainer and two as an owner.”

Wins for Westmead Meteor (2013) and last year’s success with Lenson Wilson preceded Burgess Brandy’s success for Holloway as a trainer, with victories for Rossa Ranger (2001) and Kaysers Hill (2006) as an owner on his CV.

Of Burgess Brandy, Holloway added: “He wouldn’t be denied, but we’ve always known he was quality. His Irish form on the flat was top notch, being a major stakes winner across the water, and I knew he was spot-on for the final.

“People looked at his red jacket draws in the heats and semi, but he’s actually not a trap one dog. Trap three is better for his breaking and then he finds a way across, but waits for the gaps to do so. He’s got great trackcraft this dog.”

A £10,000 bonus had been offered by Central Park promoter Roger Cearns for any greyhound to win the triple crown of major hurdles races – all of which will be staged at the Kent venue in 2019 – and that is the plan now for the two-year-old.

“It has to be, as it will be for Lenson Wilson, who is okay after his tumble – but Roger owns Brandy so I suppose he’s racing for his own bonus in the Grand National and Champion Hurdle! I’ll have to improve the trainer’s cut should we manage to win the triple crown!”

Summing up the competition, promoter Cearns said: “I’d like to thank all the connections for taking part in this year’s Springbok. It gives me hope for the future that there are owners and trainers out there as supportive of hurdle racing as I am.

“It was a fantastic race with Burgess Brandy coming out on top, but any of the finalists could have won it – it was that competitive.

“Of course, Brandy is the only greyhound now able to take the triple crown of hurdling this year – but I have Lenson Wilson coming back who’ll have a big say in the outcome of the major competitions.

“I hope the build up and the excitement of the Springbok will tempt others to try their greyhounds over hurdles. It’s a code of racing that goes back as far as flat racing and it’s such a spectacle that the industry cannot afford to let hurdle racing die.

“I’m confident though that the efforts to get all of the Category One hurdles events at Central Park to showcase how exciting it is will pay dividends, and that graded hurdle racing will find its way back on to the cards of many more licensed tracks.”