CRYSTAL AND DUKE SHINE IN ECLIPSE

Ian Fortune

It was a case of the same again for Bocko Crystal and Clona Duke on Monday night as the Graham Holland trained pair came home in front in their respective semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse Stakes.

Clona Duke, the ante-post favourite, was foot-perfect in the second of the three heats, dominating from the start. The 2022 Juvenile Derby and 2023 Irish and English Select Stakes champion broke smartly and was in charge from the outset.

The former Brendan Matthews trained Burj Khalifa charged down the far side to close the gap to the third turn but Kevin O’Brien’s Clona Duke powered home to emerge a comfortable length and a quarter winner in 29.51. 

CRYSTAL SHINES

It was much the same for Bockos Crystal in Heat 3.

Bev Lochead’s Derby runner-up broke in front from trap four and was soon in command. Droopys Google emerged a viable threat but there was no stopping the pace-setter.

Bocko Crystal wasn’t for catching, however. The brilliant daughter of Droopys Sydney raced to a tremendous length and a quarter success in 29.59.

SYD GOES FASTEST

However, the Graham Holland trained duo won’t have things all their own way in next Monday’s decider as Newinn Syd posted a brilliant 29.25 in the opening heat.

If he repeats that level of form next week, both Clona Duke and Bockos Crystal will need to raise their game. That said, both have looked very comfortable to now and it would be no surprise if they were to improve considerably.

Premier Greyhound Racing Eclipse Stakes

Final Draw

1 BALLYMAC JOHN

2 NEWINN SYD

3 BOCKOS CRYSTAL

4 CLONA DUKE

5 DROOPY GOOGLE

6 BURJ KHALIFA (W)