Holland strikes on both sides of Irish Sea, breaks Derby record

A monthly video record of the major SIS UK and Irish races run during 2025 with accompanying reporting.

21/09 - Towcester: bet365 Empress Stakes - Silverhill Freya

SILVERHILL FREYA made light work of her rivals as she completed an unbeaten run through the Category One bet365 Empress Stakes with victory in the £10,000 final over 500m at Towcester.

Fastest in both heat and semi, Graham Holland's Irish raider was sent off the 8/15 favourite to register a ninth victory in her last ten starts and the outcome was never really in doubt after she trapped well.

Yahoo Mareike was marginally faster away but Silverhill Freya had the benefit of being drawn inside that rival, paced up to lead by the first bend and went away to beat a gallant Baroness Velvet by two and a half lengths in 28.79sec with strong-running Strike It Skye just shading Yahoo Mareike for third.

It was a third big-race victory for the August 2022 daughter of Ballymac Bolger and Silverhill Joyce after previous Shelbourne Christmas Oaks and Cork Oaks successes for Holland and owner Eugene Buckley.

27/09 - Shelbourne: BOYLE Sports Irish Derby - Cheap Sandwiches

CHEAP SANDWICHES enshrined trainer Graham Holland in the history books with an authoritative performance to land the €125,000 final of the BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby over 550 yards at Shelbourne Park.

In doing so, the 4/5 favourite credited Holland with a fifth victory in Ireland's most important race taking him one ahead of Tom Lynch and Gay McKenna in that regard.

Rank outsider Barefoot On Song ripped up the form guide by pinging from trap three and led into the first bend but was quickly challenged by fast up Cheap Sandwiches, while a coming together between Proper Heiress and Magical Mag saw the last-named take a tumble although she was quickly back on her feet.

Cheap Sandwiches, owned by the Bark Wahlberg Syndicate, swept into the lead off the second bend and went on to effectively settle the issue in a matter of strides.

Barefoot On Song stuck to the task really gamely but it was a hopeless pursuit and Cheap Sandwiches came home three lengths to the good in 29.37sec with Glengar Silent passing a tiring Proper Heiress four lengths back in third.

It was a second successive win in the Classic for Holland who landed it in 2024 with Bockos Diamond, who had been chased home by Cheap Sandwiches on that occasion.

The winning syndicate comprises Dan Brassil and his son Ger, Dave O’Brien, Eoin Sweeney, Keith Daly, Eoin O’Goilligan, Dara Lundain, Kevin O’Donovan, Rob Hanley, Fergal O’Donnell and Jim O’Brien. 

Magical Mag's trainer Pat Guilfoyle had enjoyed better luck earlier when his Magical Major (29.53sec) landed the Michael Fortune Memorial Derby Plate courtesy of a superb burst of back straight speed.

27/09 - Doncaster: Yorkshire Derby - Romeo Tomcat

ROMEO TOMCAT overcame a scare at the start to ultimately claim the £8,000 Yorkshire Derby final at Doncaster in emphatic fashion.

Trained by Patrick Janssens for Dave Firmager, Romeo Tomcat missed a beat at traps as Keefill Goose on his immediate inside took a flier but, crucially, the pinger then steered a middle course allowing the 4/7 favorite to pace up inside him.

Barging to the front at the opening turn, Romeo Tomcat powered clear from the second bend and came home almost four lengths to the good of Scooby The Boss in clocking 29.10sec (+10) for the 483m trip.