Favourite Clare’s Rocket out of Irish Derby with injury

SENSATIONAL news on the Boylesports Derby front with confirmation on Monday that the Richard Gentleman-bred Clares Rocket, the 2/1 favourite to win out despite being beaten into second place at the quarter-final stage last Saturday, has been withdrawn from the event because of injury.

According to trainer Graham Holland, the dog badly sprained a wrist on Saturday night and may never run again.

The result is that Sonic is now the 9/4 favourite facing into this Saturday’s semi-finals, with Good News, which beat Clares Rocket by a neck last Saturday, at 4/1. Fourth favourite, at 11/2, is the Johnny O’Sullivan-trained Native Chimes, which was the fastest quarter-final winner on 29.44.

Native Chimes, which is Kildare-owned, runs from trap 3 in the first semi-final and it would be marvellous, with Johnny O’Sullivan involved, if he is in there on Saturday week bidding for the winner’s purse of €150,000. The dream lives on in a big way for the Castleisland handler...