DIAMOND TO TAKE ON DERBY CHALLENGE

Ian Fortune

Graham Holland confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Bockos Diamond will be challenging for BOYLE Sports Irish Greyhound Derby honours.

Speaking at the launch of the classic at his Riverside Kennels operation, he suggested that his charge was a little bit greyer about the snout but was in great order and ready to do himself justice.

Of course, Bockos Diamond was a truly brilliant winner of the renewal in 2024 but has been lightly raced since, although he did manage to finish runner-up in the 2025 English equivalent. More recently, he found traffic in the final of the BOYLE Sports Champion Stakes but ran with real heart to take third.

More interesting is the fact that Bockos Diamond will not carry a middle or wide seeding in the Derby, instead he will race as an inside seed. Said Holland of the decision, “At his age, he may not be just able to clear the dogs on the inside as easily as he could, but he has won from the inside before and his racing line is generally quite tight so hopefully it’ll work out.”