PAT WITH A REAL ESCAPE AT CENTRAL PARK

Ian Fortune

Bombay Pat had to show the feet of a ballerina at Central Park on Saturday night as he somehow kept his feet after some bad traffic and got up to take second on the line, securing a place in next weekend’s hugely valuable PGR Kent Derby decider.

The brilliantly fast son of Pestana seemed certain to shoot around the turn in front but he just couldn’t quite clear Not So Steady. Baulked twice before entering the back straight, he found himself well behind the 16-1 outsider of the field Acejukeboxpopper in third.

Qualification seemed very unlikely into the third turn as he remained well of the pace. With only two to qualify, he needed to pull out something special. Finishing with purpose, he got up late to secure a second-place finish, holding Romeo Alliance by a short head. Acejukeboxpopper would win by almost ten lengths.

Speaking to the Racing Post, Nicky Holland described the efforts of Bombay Pat, “He’s some dog just to stay on his feet after all that, but then really battled up the run-in. It was touch and go in the end.”

For his efforts, Bombay Pat has been handed the stripes in Saturday’s decider but he will need to be at his very sharpest in the opening exchanges.

PGR Kent Derby (491m):

Final draw

1 Acejukeboxpopper

2 Zenith Imminent

3 Headford Dane

4 Romeo Tomcat (m)

5 Texas Jack (w)

6 Bombay Pat (w).