MONMORE is counting down to a sensational Ladbrokes Winter Derby Final on Saturday after the weekend’s semi-finals produced high-class performances and great stories in equal measure – not least the return to the winner’s enclosure of Links Maverick.

Tom Heilbron’s multiple Category One winner, a leading nominee for the GBGB Greyhound of the Year awards at the Metropole in Brighton on March 3, roared back to winning form in the first semi-final of the £10,000-to-the-winner annual as he initiated a brilliant double for the Newcastle handler.

Blasting to the front in the 480m contest – a crackerjack affair against Churchfield Syd (Richard Rees) and Coolavanny Shado (Patrick Janssens) – Links Maverick was soon in command off the back of a slick 4.32sec and kept up the gallop to the winning line to land a two-length win from Churchfield Syd in 28.09sec (normal).

Kennelmate Bogger Rambo then completed the Heilbron double as the ex-Irish runner – he was second to Pape Di Oro in last year’s Tipperary Cup at Thurles – impressively made it five wins from six UK starts with an impressive off-the-front victory

Quickly away on route to a 4.33sec sectional, the Premier Greyhound Racing All England Cup finalist raced away for a two and a quarter lengths success over the keeping-on King Sydney (Liz McNair) in 28.17sec (normal), the pair qualifying for Saturday’s final.

Winning trainer Heilbron, delighted to be double represented in the Wolverhampton feature, was particularly delighted to have Links Maverick back to something like his best after a long spell off the card with a shoulder injury.

“It’s been a long road back but there was never a rush with him – we wanted to give him as much time as possible,” said Heilbron. “Of course it was disappointing to miss some of those end-of-season targets after he did the shoulder at Sunderland in the (Arc) Classic, but then you look at his record and think that was some year!

“He always needed the run in the heats but you see the pace he showed – he just blew up late on and did well to qualify,” added Heilbron. “Even so, Saturday took me by surprise – not his pace, which we know is incredible, but he stayed on so much better and another week will surely be in his favour. That said, it’s some final!”

Heilbron also heaped praise on Bogger Rambo. “For many, he’s probably playing second fiddle to Maverick, but not to us. He’s a top-class dog in his own right and has done brilliantly since joining us. He’s only been beaten once – and that was in (Premier Greyhound Racing) All England Cup so is in there absolutely on merit.

“It’s a fantastic final and we know Maverick has got to come away and lead Richie’s (Taberner) dog inside (Aero Sacundai) and you feel Rambo needs to do the same or miss it and allow King Capaldi across him – we know he’ll be heading for the rails. Class-wise it’s a great line-up and brilliant to be a part of.”

Like Heilbron, Liz McNair will be doubly handed in the decider with litter-brothers King Sydney and King Capaldi after the latter raced to a fastest-of-the-session 4.27sec sectional and a best overall semi-final time of 28.01sec with another exceptional effort from the hugely talented home-bred.

Winner now of 14 of 17 starts, the Puppy Derby runner-up and Produce Stakes third was always bossing proceedings with the race for second proving an intriguing one, with locally trained Aero Sacundai (Richie Taberner) keeping the McNairs’ Queen Joni at bay to give Monmore serious interest in Saturday’s cracking final.

Trap draw for Saturday’s final: 1 Aero Sacundai, 2 Links Maverick, 3 King Sydney, 4 Bogger Rambo, 5 King Capaldi, 6 Churchfield Syd (w).