BURNCHURCH MICK narrowly proved fastest as the semi-finals of the Ladbrokes Winter Derby were completed without incident at Monmore on Saturday.

After an electrical malfunction caused three heats to be carried over from last Saturday’s meeting to Tuesday’s fixture, this weekend’s semi-finals were staged without incident and Richard Rees’s runner set the standard on the clock.

Lining up in the second semi-final, the May 2019 son of Laughil Blake and Blackstone Angie was very quickly away and, racing to fastest-of-the-night 4.33sec sectional, soon had his rivals under pressure and, keeping up the gallop, crossed the line three lengths clear of Druids On Song (Mark Wallis) in 28.37sec (normal).

The Mark Wallis-trained Ivy High Skyhigh, securing a second finalist for the champion trainer, was just one spot slower than Burnchurch Mick in the opening semi-final as the Blue Riband champion continued his fine run of form when dominating from the get-go and also never giving his rivals a chance to challenge.

Always bossing proceedings, the June 2018 son of Taylors Sky and Yahoo Perlena was chased throughout by last year’s Monmore Puppy Derby heroine Jaguar Macie, with Graham Rankin’s bitch running another impressive race as she continues her comeback. However, Ivy High Skyhigh crossed the line a length and a quarter in front in 28.38sec.

Winning trainer Wallis said: “Ivy Hill Skyhigh is running out of his skin and we’re delighted with him. He trapped lovely in his semi-final but, in what is a hot final, he’ll need to do so again to clear those inside him. However, it’s fantastic for connections to reach a second four-bend final of the year and his fifth Cat One final overall.

“Druids On Song is a promising pup and we only put him in the Winter Derby for experience as he was a month too old for the Puppy Derby. There’s so much to like about him and I’ve seen a million worse 10-1 shots than him! But clearing the ultra-fast Bull Run Noris is his biggest task if he’s to win.”

Callmesteve produced a strong-running effort to claim the third semi-final in which the John Mullins-trained scored a narrow victory in what was a driving finish, with less than half a length covering the first three home.

It was Aussie Captain (Patrick Janssens) who broke in front and set the early figures with a 4.35sec sectional. However, challenged and passed for the lead by Kevin Hutton’s Bull Run Norris at the third bend, the latter held a lead until close home when Callmesteve pounced to land a head victory from Bull Run Norris in 28.41sec.

*Trap draw and form for Saturday’s final: https://assets.cj1.in/imminent-otter/production/assets/results/Monmore/form-guides/Saturday-26th-Feb-Finals.pdf