RICKY HOLLOWAY will have four runners in Sunday’s Ladbrokes Grand National Final at Crayford with the event’s winningmost trainer aiming to extend his record haul in the jumps Classic to six as a trainer – seven as an owner.

Holloway sends out Dazl Hermes, Magical Oscar, Patterdale Zorro and Signet Harper in the weekend’s £10,000-to-the-winner final over 380m aiming to add to wins as a trainer courtesy of Mo’s Bullet (2015), Razldazl Raidio (2017), Roxholme Biscuit (2020), Meenagh Maverick (2021), all at Central Park, plus Coppice Fox at the Kent track last year, as well as victory as an owner with Jos Cigar at Wimbledon in 2007.

Signet Harper was quickest in the semi-finals on Sunday as Holloway’s runner raced clear early in the second semi and was never headed to ensure British-bred representation in the decider in what was an all Holloway-trained semi-final line-up.

Trapping well, the November 21 daughter of Dorotas Wildcat and Not Too Late was always in command and crossed the line a length and quarter clear of kennelmates Patterdale Zorro and Magical Oscar in 23.30sec (+20). It means the Tony Brealey-owned runner has a chance to become a rare bitch winner of the Grand National, plus could land back-to-back wins in the event for her owner after Coppice Fox last year.

The first semi-final saw last year’s finalist Chippy Brady make it successive Grand National deciders as the Barrie Backhurst-trained February 2021 son of Droopys Sydney and Beechgrove Bell narrowly land the spoils in a driving finish.

Traceys Sydney (Barry O’Sullivan) led early here but was soon taken on by Dazl Hermes (Ricky Holloway) and the latter went on down the far side before Chippy Brady, a litter brother of Bens Teddy, launched a telling challenge into the third turn before holding the rallying Dazl Hermes and Traceys Sydney for a head and the same success in 23.74sec (+20), the trio making it through to the final.

It means with Traceys Sydney dual Crayford and Central Park trainer Barry O’Sullivan has a chance to land a third Grand National triumph after Dynamic Display at Hall Green in 1996 and Bobbing Gnavatar at Crayford in 2022 – in the same month as the family lost Barry’s father Terry, which makes for a bittersweet night at Crayford on Sunday.

“We’re delighted to reach the final but it will be different, of course,” said Barry who, along with Terry, schooled many a hurdles champion at their track in Fawkham, Kent. “Traceys Sydney has got lots of pace but he just missed it on Sunday before pacing up. Maybe things might be different if he hits the lids.

“We won the (Ladbrokes) Champion Hurdle with Nunhead Shiv a few months back – she’s now retired – so it’d be nice to do the double and win the Grand National but it’s not going to be easy. Ricky has a very strong team to beat.”

*A funeral service for Terry O’Sullivan will take places at the Saint Francis De-Sales Catholic Church, Hartley, Longfield, Kent DA3 8BL, at 11am on Thursday, November 28, with burial at St Mary’s Church, Fawkham, at 12.30pm.