Santas Amigo is quickest again in the All England Cup

Santas Amigo has Mullins on the nice list

There must be something about the air in the north east that is very much to the liking of Santas Amigo. An impressive winner of the Classic at Sunderland last month, he has followed that up by producing the quickest times in the opening round and the semi-finals of the All England Cup. 

It was the loss of longtime owner Bill McNally to MND earlier this year that drove the decision to run in the competition for trainer David Mullins, with the night of the final run in the memory of Jimmy Wright who passed away earlier this year.

Slingshot Poppy showed the best early pace to the bend to lead up but Santas Amigo quickly took the race by the scruff of the neck with the superior middle gears. He powered almost five lengths clear at the line with Tom Heilbron's Unanimous Leon filling out the runner-up spot to qualify for a sixth Category One final.

Heilbron picked up a semi-final of this own with Toddys Tank, though his 28.71 was no match for the 28.30 produced by Santas Amigo. He ran down early leader Ballymac Briar as they exited the back straight, putting more than three lengths into his field from there. Stephen Caile's runner did enough early to hold off his kennelmate Crooks Stevie for a place in the decider. 

The opening semi-final went the way of Jimmy Fenwick and Ballymac Lake. He kept top class company in Ireland and has proven super consistent since joining Fenwick's range. His 28.38 success is comfortably his best effort in his four runs at the track so far. Droopys Bookem had to come from last to grab the final qualifying spot to give Tom Heilbron three runners in the final.

It was also the two semis of the Jimmy Wright Future Stars with Strike It Skye once more the star for Mark Wallis. It required a bit of work having led them up to see off her rivals down the back after she was challenged on both sides off the second turn. The further she went, the better she looked, coming four and a half lengths clear of Ballymac Service with Droopys Link back in third.

The other semi saw a first defeat for the favourite Woltemade who didn't make the final. Bouncing Monarch showed up better early on than he had in the heats to force his way up the inside and into the lead. His 28.88 is a long way short of Skye's 28.43 winning time but he found plenty more trouble. Crafty Regalo and Skye the Boss chased him home.

Another competition with heats last night was a sprint where just four spots separated the winners of the two heats. Favourite Rogue was marginally the quicker for Stuart Tighe, adding to the superb start that he has made to his career at Star Pelaw. Sunnyside Ted chased him home with odds-on favourite Slingshot Gazza taking the final spot

Lightfoot Jamie took the other heat for Tom Heilbron, beating his kennelmate Madabout Peck in the process. There are three finalists who have had single figure starts so far in their career and then there is Madabout Peck who has finished first or second in 29 of his 57 runs for Heilbron and has danced every dance. It should make for an excellent final. Dunelm Rocket also claimed a spot in the decider.

Three other opens on the card included a double for John Flaherty. Jacktavern Lab was a very comfortable winner over six bends after Greenwell Gypsy had caused something of a surprise in the marathon contest, powering down the back straight the final time to come well clear at 12/1. Her time was notable given the -30 going on just her second start beyond 480m. 

Hers was not the biggest shock of the night, however, that coming in the final race on the card where Zenith Mikmacker at 16/1 turned over his more fancied kennelmate Zenith Tanju who was sent off the 4/9 favourite for Fenwick.