RICKY HOLLOWAY is on the verge of a seventh success in the event after four of his runners made it through to Sunday’s final of the £10,000 Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle at Crayford – as the Kent track looks forward to more Category One action this weekend.

Sunday’s semi-finals produced their fair share of surprises as Holloway’s Razldazl Barkley, who had made such a splash on his hurdles debut with a fastest-of-the-round victory and went off 4-6 favourite, failed to follow up after a moderate exit soon put the youngster under pressure in the first semi-final in a contest the local handler still managed a one-two!

Harlequin Ernie took chief advantage as the July 2022 son of Knocknaboul Syd and Flaming Sahara paced up well and led into the bend on his way to success in 23.78sec (+20), holding rallying kennelmate Razldazl Randall, Barkley’s litter brother, by three-quarters of a length with Droopys Fivestar (Allison Kelly-Pilgrim) qualifying in third.

There was a huge upset in the second semi-final as 33-1 chance Nunhead Shiv landed a deserved success once pacing up into the turn to take the race by the scruff of the neck.

Barry O’Sullivan’s runner had his rivals, including kennelmate and 5-6 favourite Traceys Sydney, under full stretch thereafter and went on to score by three-quarters of a length from the staying-on Ricky Holloway-trained pair of Dazl Hermes and Four From Two. The winning time for the 380m trip was 23.86sec (+20).

Crayford racing manager Danny Rayment is looking forward to Sunday’s final in which Holloway is looking to add to victories in the event with Soviet Military (2013), Razldazl Raidio (2016), Lenson Wilson (2018), Turnhouse Jet (2019), Tookmaker Daddy (2021) and Lenson Doolin last year – the first time Crayford staged the famous competition.

He said: “Ricky (Holloway) is obviously favourite to win the event again. He doesn’t have his Hurdler of the Year Lenson Doolin to call on – he’s now retired – but he’s got a few younger hurdlers who are improving. We thought Razldazl Barkley might be the natural successor, and he will come again I’m sure, but a missed break proved costly.

“However, Ricky still has plenty of chances, although I’m also delighted to see both Barry O’Sullivan and Allison Kelly-Pilgrim with finalists and, having seen a 33-1 chance winning on Sunday, you just never know!

“Either way, we’re looking forward to a gala card here on Sunday. This is the second time we’ve hosted the Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle and everyone knows our love and commitment to this code of racing – and that will continue!

“On Sunday, we’ll also have a whole host of supporting opens including the final of the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Cup – and at least we’ve not got the Euros final to go against us this weekend! That said, we had it on the screens here last week so had the best of both words – but unfortunately even that proved a mixed blessing with the result!”

Form and trap draw for Sunday’s Ladbrokes Champion Hurdle Final: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Crayford/form-guides/Crayford-Sunday-21st-July-2024-Champion-Hurdle-Sprint-Final-Form.pdf