Fastest qualifier Hiya Butt was landed with the sort of final draw that trainer Hayley Keightley would have struggled to improve on following the William Hill Peterborough Derby semis on Wednesday.
The sole railer in next Wednesday’s £8,500 final, the dual English Derby finalist and Laurels winner was handed a further advantage when the race’s other Cat 1 winner, Kooga Klammer drew blue.
Racing manager Martin Race said: “One must be a huge advantage, but Hiya Butt is a class dog anyway. Kooga Klammer did brilliantly to qualify, in fact I think RPGTV called it wrong in thinking he hadn’t got up to level with David’s (Pruhs) other dog Dark Recruit.
“Of course the rules say that the first middle seed drawn must go closest to the railers and Kooga Klammer’s connections were there when the draw was made. He is a genuine middle runner and has never run from two before in his entire career. I don’t think they were that impressed but we don’t make up the rules.
“I was also impressed with Angry Man, but he has a strange action at the traps as he splays his legs. I am not sure that the draw will help him much either, I think he needs the outside.”
Footage courtesy RPGTV
VIKING JIMMY wins the first semi final of the William Hill Peterborough Derby. Photo: © Steve Nash
ANGRY MAN wins the third Peterborough Deby semi final. Photo: © Steve Nash
