BURGESS DOC posted the fastest time in the Cearnsport Springbok at Central Park on Sunday as the Lee Field-trained timber-topper regained the winning thread in the first semi-final of the novice hurdlers’ championship.

Breaking smartly, the two-year-old Monmore raider was always in charge as he kept the challenging Forest Capri (Barry O’Sullivan) at bay to win by length and a quarter in 29.56sec, with another local hope Madabout James (Luke Morrison) qualifying in third.

Victory for Burgess Doc delighted trainer Field, who revealed he came by the son of Droopys Jet and Badminton Maid via fellow Monmore trainer Craig Marston.

“Craig rang me one Sunday and told me the dog was available and knew I was schooling another dog for this competition, who incidentally got injured when schooling, and said if you’re going with one then why not go with two!

“I knew the dog as I know a few Irish lads who saw him being schooled and they told me he’d posted some quick unofficial trials and could definitely run. He was quite an expensive purchase initially, but was slightly awkward at Cork.

“He’d only ever run at the top level, so it was a chance we had to take going for this comp. We knew we didn’t have long, but he’s been a credit to us and I said from the first trial I wouldn’t swap him for any dog in the comp at that stage.

“He’s the most inexperienced for me in the line-up in terms of jumping. Barry’s (O’Sullivan) and Ricky’s (Holloway) runners would’ve had a lot more schooling, but I only got the dog a couple of months or so before this started and he didn’t settle well.

“It meant I was late sending him to Barry for schooling and he had the same problem – he wasn’t really settling – so he didn’t have many ‘schools’. Then because it was getting close to entry stage I took him back and decided he’d have to learn and do the times on the track.

“Thankfully he did that – and is still doing that as he’s found time from his first trial every time he’s stepped foot on the track, bar when he badly missed the break in the heats last week. Even then he did plenty just to qualify – and learned again no doubt.

“The draw in six for the final is ideal as I think, with any kind of break, he can lead four and five to the corner and should have a solo round the outside. The early pace is obviously on the inside of the race, so I couldn’t be happier with the make-up.”

Ricky Holloway landed a one-two in the second semi-final as Nomansland Flyer broke smartly and was always pressing kennelmate Droopys Cruiser before forging ahead past halfway to win by length and a quarter in 29.86sec.

Belinda Green’s Bockos Rory was third here and into Sunday’s decider, while Holloway had extra reason to be delighted on the night as his GBGB Hurdler of the Year Turnhouse Jet extended his unbeaten winning sequence to 13 in a supporting contest.

Draw for Sunday’s final: www.centralparkstadium.co.uk/assets/uploaded/files/documents/springbok-and-maiden-final.pdf