LONG FELLOW eyes a notable Oxford double when he lines up in the final of the BetGoodwin Pall Mall at Oxford on Saturday.

Winner of the Puppy Collar final at the backend of the last year – he led home King Memphis in that Category One decider – the Matt Dartnall-trained January 2022 son of Droopys Sydney and Away Shelly was soon clear off the back of a fast start in Saturay’s first semi-final which set up a runaway six-and-a-quarter length victory in 26.75sec (normal).

There was a dead-heat for second here with Eze (Angie Kibble) and Cooliogold (Maxine Locke) crossing the line together with the former going through to the £10,000 final on the toss of a coin. Cooliogold stands by as reserve.

George Sell, part of the syndicate which owns Long Fellow, named after legendary jockey Lester Piggott, was delighted with the performance and full of prize for the Dartnall team given their star was off the track for a while in the spring.

He said: “It’s really exciting to have reached another Cat One with ‘Lester’. The Pall Mall has been the plan for quite a while now, and we were very relieved that it’s gone ahead – it was looking touch and go for a while, so fair play to the sponsor.

“Lester came back last month from some time off with a minor muscle niggle and the rest clearly did him good as he scorched round Oxford in 26.55sec to win his first race back. He seems really well in himself, looks an absolute picture as you would expect of a Dartnall dog, and we’re hoping he gives a good account of himself on Saturday.

“In a way it feels similar to the Cowley Puppy Collar Final in that it’s a hot race, and we’ll have to beat a very worthy short-priced favourite to win – King Memphis back in October, and the fantastic Aero Sacundai on Saturday.

“We’ll be hoping for a smash break, and I was pleased with the draw as he seems to start better from two or three than he does from one at Oxford.

“It’s good to see Droopys Hanover in the final too – he’s running out of his skin at the moment. He was also in the Puppy Collar final so it’s nice to see the form of that race franked so well. King Memphis hasn’t turned out a bad dog either!

“Whatever the result on Saturday, we’re delighted to be in the final and looking forward to a great night.”

Fastest of the three semi-final winners was Aero Sacundai as Richie Taberner’s runner turned the tables on track record holder El Tornillo (Dave Lee) in convincing style in the third semi.

Quickly away on his way to a fastest-of-the-night 3.82sec sectional, the February 2022 son of Ballymac Cashout and Beaming Smasher returned to winning ways having won the Hope Jeal Sprint on Derby final night before a prep race success at Oxford and then finishing behind the record-breaking El Tornillo in the Pall Mall heats.

However, getting first run on this occasion, Richie Taberner’s runner always led but runner-up Droopys Hanover (Kevin Hutton) ran a cracker in defeat, getting to within half a length of the 26.60sec (normal) winner.

The second semi-final went to the John Mullins-trained runner Wrighty who once again proved his consistency to finish best and grab gold from longtime leader Madabout Peck (Tom Heilbron), winning by half a length from the Newcastle raider in 26.80sec (normal).

Trap draw for Saturday’s final: 1 Aero Sacundai, 2 Long Fellow, 3 Droopys Hanover, 4 Wrighty, 5 Eze (m), 6 Madabout Peck (m).