Droopys Buick will have to defy fate and a trap draw to land the RPGTV Scottish Derby next Saturday.
Angela Harrison’s railer, who was unable to overcome a trap four draw in the 2016 decider, finds himself out in trap five for the £20,000 Shawfield decider. He has only ever raced in orange on two occasions previously for one win (at Doncaster) and one defeat (in the Puppy Classic Final). Perhaps significantly, despite breaking the Shawfield track record in the Scottish semis last year, he went to traps as a 7-2 chance.
The weakest, first semi went the way of the formbook with Pat Rosney’s Azzurri Genesis (Superior Product-Swift Foundry, May 15) winning his last race as a pup. Stay Loose (T3) was quickest up (3.69), but the red jacketed Genesis (3.72) took the shortest route. The 2-1f was pursued throughout by Knockard Spring (T2 9-2). The winner crossed the line with a half length advantage in 29.30.
The second semi was dominated by the top two in the market. 4-7 favourite Dorotas Woo Hoo (Ballymac Vic-Droopys Danneel, May 15), also contesting his last race as a juvenile, stepped right from traps but still held a marginal advantage at the sectional which he crossed in 3.69. One spot slower were Ginas Lad (T2 10-1), Droopys Five (T3 14-1) and the Irish entry Good News (T1 5-2) who took up the running. But the big striding Woo Hoo showed his trademark backstraight pace and the result was a formaility. Charlie Lister’s brindle crossed the winning line in 28.61, just one spot outside Droopys Buick’s clock.
The third semi was set to be dominated by 4-7f Droopys Buick (Yeah Man-Droopys Hilda, Nov 13) running from trap two. After bombing away in a 3.67 sectional, rom Black Zac (T4 4-1), the leader was never challenged and crossed the winning line in 28.55, five spots inside his own clock. Irish entry Coolavanny Mason (T3 4-1) finished two and three quarter lengths back in second.
