ARKADY was fastest in the semi-finals of the Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby at Central Park on Sunday as the David Mullins-trained runner produced an outstanding front-running performance in the second semi.

 

A missed break in the heats put the September 2020 son of Droopys Jet and Good Legacy under pressure to qualify, but the Romford raider made no mistake this time as a fast 3.11sec split set up an all-the-way success from Romeo Top Gun (Patrick Janssens), the margin of success two and three-quarter lengths and the winning time 28.88sec (-20).

 

Burnchurch Mick (Laughil Blake-Blackstone Angie, May 19) followed up his impressive heat success seven days previously when making all in the first semi-final as Richard Rees’s dog was again quickly into stride in the first semi.

 

Posting a 3.13sec split on his way to a trap-to-line success, Burnchurch Mick was always in command, albeit runner-up Clairekeith Remy (Claude Gardiner) stayed on well to get within three-quarters of a length of the 29.05sec (-20) winner.

 

Lizs Legacy (Laughil Blake-Except Change, Sep 2019) landed a surprise but deserved 12-1 success in the third semi as the locally-trained runner was foot-perfect at lids-rise (3.13sec) to set the tempo and soon have his rivals under pressure.

 

However, BresBet East Anglian Derby champion Hopes Paddington produced a stirring challenge in behind to close on the leader up the home straight with Lizs Legacy just getting the verdict by a short-head in 29.06sec (-20).

 

Rob Killingbeck, racing manager at Central Park, was delighted with the overall quality on the night and is looking forward to Sunday’s £20,000 final of the GBGB Category One event, the first to be staged under the Premier Greyhound Racing banner.

 

He said: “We had three superb semi-finals. Burnchurch Mick got a flyer in the first semi, although just held on from Clairekeith Remy who was mowing him down. Then Arkady posted the quickest sectional of the night and, for me, was the most impressive with his trap-to-line win, with Romeo Top Gun running on nicely to make the final.

 

“It was good to see a local winner in the third semi with Lizs Legacy winning for Tony Collett who’s looking to land back-to-back Cat Ones here after Borna Rhythm won the Arc Champion Hurdle for the kennel. Hopes Paddington qualified here with a fast finish, although you’d say both of Liz McNair’s duo Feora Noel and Havana Bale Out were both unlucky not to qualify themselves in what was a good race.

 

“The final looks a great race, albeit a very open one, and remember we had a 28-1 winner last year, so nothing is cut and dried. I’m definitely sitting on the fence for this one!”

 

Trap draw for Sunday’s Premier Greyhound Racing Kent Derby Final: 1 Clairekeith Remy, 2 Burnchurch Mick, 3 Hopes Paddington, 4 Romeo Top Gun, 5 Arkady (m), 6 Lizs Legacy (m).

 

Results: https://www.gbgb.org.uk/meeting/?meetingId=390275&raceId=882765