RIOJA OISIN heads into Saturday’s BetGoodwin Pall Mall Final at Oxford as the fastest semi-final winner after Kevin Hutton’s champion sprinter regained the winning thread in the first semi-final at the Cowley venue at the weekend.

Initiating a semi-final double for the local handler given Union Rebel also won on the night, the performance of both delighted Hutton who is looking to land a first Pall Mall trophy to add to his numerous big-race success – including in an English Derby.

“We had the third last year with Droopys Hanover, but it would be great to win the Pall Mall as it’s one of the most famous competitions in the game and one I grew up watching. It’s got an amazing history and some great winners.

“We’ve certainly given ourselves a chance this year. It was good to see Rioja Oisin go off the front like he did. Conditions were far better than last week – and that’s no fault of the track who did everything to make the track safe in the warm weather.

“They really did a tremendous job in the circumstances and could’t do enough for the dogs, but it did mean it was soft and slow going which doesn’t really suit a dog with so much speed as Oisin – but this Saturday he really did shine.

“I’ve said before he’s up there with the fastest dogs I’ve trained in terms of brute speed – he’s unreal. Everyone knows the issues we’ve had with him which means it’s been more sprinting than four bends – and he’s won a Scurry and a Silver Salver.

“That just underlines his class but 450m on summer going he can also definitely manage, as we saw on Saturday. Now he’s up against our own Union Rebel and that in itself for the neutrals looks a great match up – it’s slightly different for us!

“You don’t want either to lose and that’s even before you consider four other tremendous runners, but it’s a great race and Rebel also deserves his place. The way he’s come back after being off since winning the Golden Sprint at Romford has been great.

“He’ll come forward again am sure – you just hope both can break well in the final and show their pace. Then we’ll see where we’re at. It’s a brilliant final.”

Hutton’s Rioja Oisin secured his place in the weekend’s Category One decider with an all-the-way victory in the first semi, finishing three lengths clear of the always-second Gingers Prince (Patrick Browne). The winning time was 26.43sec (-10) for the 450m trip.

Kennelmate Union Rebel then posted a fastest-of-the-night 3.83sec sectional on his way to a two-length victory in the second semi over Monmore raider Paradise Sky (Brian Thompson) in 26.65sec (-10). The winner’s kennelmate Antigua Kestrel was a close-up third here.

The final two places for Saturday’s BetGoodwin Pall Mall Final were secured in the third semi by Richard Rees’s trap-to-line winner Crossfield Enzo who raced away for a five and a half length win over Newcastle’s Madabout Peck (Tom Heilbron). The winning time was 26.45sec (-10).

Trap draw for Saturday’s BetGoodwin Pall Mall Final – Oxford, 450m: 1 Gingers Prince, 2 Paradise Sky, 3 Crossfield Enzo (m), 4 Rioja Oisin (m), 5 Madabout Peck (m), 6 Union Rebel (m).