Duchess Ava, the HTA senior table leader, came out on top in the jubilee trails held at Sandale Heights.
James McLelland’s 2021 puppy champion produced a great finish to head leader Kirkhead Rebel about three yards from the line and snatch the win.
It earned James the Kirkbride and District Sports Club Trophy which had only been presented once before, back in 1953, for the Queen’s Coronation.
The senior trail provided a good start to the six-trail meeting which had a nice crowd and plenty of Jubilee cheer for the enthusiasts.
The Duchess was sent off the 4/5 favourite and Kirkhead Rebel was nearest in the market at 2/1. Martha was a length away in third at 8/1.
A lot of attention was on Silver Streak in the pups after recent victories but this time could only manage fourth place.
It was Huntsman’s Rebel who pulled away on the finish to win well from Foxparke Beep Beep with Huntsman’s Rascal in third.
There was ample consolation for the Foxparke kennel of the Napier family when their Foxparke Mysteriously justified 2/1 favouritism to beat another of Tony Jackson’s, Kinniside Bobby.
In the open restricted the 6/4 favourite Denton Bilbao had led for most of the way but was nailed on the finish by Malcolm Holmes’ Sir Robert, a 5/1 chance.
Wild Gypsy was well fancied in the final trail for veterans and she justified her 6/4 favourite’s price tag by winning from Denis Pears’ Hawkswood.
The next meeting is on Monday at Potter’s Park when the hounds will get a chance to run the trail being used in a week’s time on June 11 for the Dog Produce which carries a handy £160 prize money for all the races and is being organised by the Whitehaven Area.
