With trails on Saturday and Sunday entries were low at both Shap and Grasmere Sports – although still a spectacle for the spectators.
At Shap there was a treble for Denise Bland’s highly consistent Patterdale kennel – only the maidens evaded them but they didn’t have a runner.
The seniors went to Jenny’s Quest, who seems to be in good order at the minute because at times she can be temperamental until how much effort she puts in on the finish.
She did this time to beat Brian Graham’s Reebok by a head while kennelmate Huntsman’s Que, the kennel’s leading hound in the championship, finished sixth to stay three behind long-time leader Duchess Ava.
The double was completed in the pups where table leader Huntsman’s Rebel beat David Clifford’s Eden Redarna for her 23rd win of the season, 11 clear of Ned’s Gain.
Huntsman’s Ruby completed the treble in the open non-winners beating Shine On and Dundee.
Only four runners contested the senior maidens and it went to Ian Fleet’s High Crag with kennel-mate Solitaire in fourth place.
Sunday’s trails at Grasmere Sports as usual attracted interest from the spectators but were disappointing in numbers. To make it worse the veteran race ended up being void.
It may be possible that owners and trainers are keeping their hounds fresh for the Whitehaven Classic on Bank Holiday Monday.
There were only three runners in the opening senior trail and it was Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s Winterfell who won, trained and run by the Bell family who travel from Yorkshire. Huntsman’s Quantum and Miterdale Dusk completed the 1-2-3.
The open puppy race went to Sophie Steel’s Miterdale Shade who beat Christine Brownlee’s Malia and Tony Irving and family’s Rex the Rocket as only three of the four runners got round.
The open restricted went to Breton owned by Julie Birkinhaw and Brian Graham which beat Malcolm and Ann Homes’ Sir Robert and the Steel family;s Miterdale Honesty.
Sadly the veterans race was declared void.
27 August – Shap
- Hounds – 1. Jenny’s Quest; 2. Reebok; 3. Howgill Lil; 4. Kirkhead Rebel; 5. Cracking Last One Two; 6. Huntsman’s Que. 11 ran, time 32.49.
- Maidens – 1. High Crag; 2. Imagine; 3. Amber Bay; 4. Solitaire. 4 ran, time 41.24.
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel; 2. Eden Redarna; 3. Lady Million; 4. Busy Again; 5. Chapel Stile. 6 ran, only five finished. Time: 20.38.
- Open Non-Winners – 1. Huntsman’s Ruby; 2. Shine On; 3. Dundee; 4. Annie May; 5. Black Eyed Mist; 6. Vinny Moon. 8 ran, time 22.53.
28 August – Grasmere Sports
- Pups – 1. Miterdale Shade; 2. Malia; 3. Rex The Rocket. 4 ran, only three finished. Time 24.13.#
- Open Restricted – 1. Bretton; 2. Sir Robert; 3. Miterdale Honesty; 4. Overwater Hunter; 5. Ron; 6. Monsoon. 9 ran, time 24.58.
- Veterans – Void
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Huntsman’s Quantum; 3. Miterdale Dusk. 3 ran, time 41.10.
