For the third year running the New Zealand Duke of Edinburgh Silver Collar has an O’Keeffe spin to it, but this year without Ring The Bell.

Gerry O’Keeffe has two contenders in Billy’s Bake (pictured) and Vandagambo who are bred by James Van de Maat and who both finished second in their Silver Collar heats on Sunday in Auckland.

Vandagambo had the unfortunate task of coming up against New Zealand’s staying sensation Dyna Weslyn who stopped the clock in a time of 46.68 seconds over the 779-metre distance.

Dyna Weslyn spent two months in Victoria for the Bold Trease at Sandown Park. Unable to qualify for the Bold Trease, Weslyn went to The Meadows over the 725-metre distance stopping the clock in a BON time 42.45sec.

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WATCH: Dyna Weslyn (box three) and Vandagambo (box five) in the opening Silver Collar heat on Sunday. 

Old timer Billy’s Bake was up against another familiar name in Rippin’ Sam in the second and final Silver Collar heat.

Gerry has spent the past three months traveling to Angle Park to race Billy’s Bake over the 731 metre distance onto the finish on arm, the same finishing mechanism as New Zealand.

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WATCH: Billy’s Bake finish second to Bigtime Chloe from box four in his Silver Collar heat.

The Group 1 Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar final will be run on Sunday afternoon at Auckland.