The 2023 HTA Championship season opened at the weekend with two meetings, good racing and for once – good weather.
Low Place staged the first meeting on Saturday when there were four trails for owners/trainers to start the new campaign.
There was a good slip in the senior race with 22 hounds taking part. When they showed on the finish it was Ian and Stephen Donaldson’s Huntsman’s Quartz who came with a nice lead to beat Roy Laidler’s Kirkhead Rebel with Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Cautious in third.
Last year’s senior champion Jenny’s Quest managed fourth.
The puppy trail saw 14 youngsters competing and it was one of the home team Miterdale Diamond who finished ahead of Denise Bland’s pair Huntsman’s Sunshine and Huntsman’s Sparkle.
The open maiden race saw a similar number involved and it was Roy Laidler’s other hound Cuckoo Lane who came home first
Roy will be hoping that this season his hound stays injury-free as last year it had some problems with a front ankle.
Kinniside Miracle finished second for Tony Jackson with Missriff in third for Glenis and Raymond Farren and new additional owner Denise Bland.
The final race of the day was the All In which had a field of ten and was won by Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Rebel, last year’s puppy champion.
She came home in front of last season’s veterans runner-up Hawkswood for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill with Debbie and Lana McGee’s Apache Raider in third.
Sunday provided another fine day for a four-race card at Oulton which offered different running to Low Place’s fell terrain and instead the hounds faced fields and dykes.
Nineteen seniors started the afternoon’s action with the opening trail and it was Graham Reid’s Biff who came with a lead and held on to win from Tony Irving’s Rex the Rocket with Ann and Malcolm Holmes’ Sir Robert finishing third.
There were 24 pups and it was Andrew and Joel Bulman, Laura Steele and Ian Rumney’s Embrace who came with the lead and managed to hold on up the hill to take a first Championship win.
Graham Reid’s Mel finished a respectable second with Rodney Raider finishing strongly to grab third ahead of Thorn Bear who was tiring coming up the hill.
The open maiden race saw 29 runners and it was the Bulman family again who triumphed, this time with dad Derek taking the honours with Dundee, who was followed in by Christopher Henderson’s Shone On followed by last season’s open maiden champion Imagine for Joy and Brian Lister.
The final race of the day was won by the Mellon family’s Cracking Spirit from Penrith who beat Splendid Mickey and Dream Catcher.
Monday’s trails at Borrowdale have been cancelled and the next action is on Wednesday at Cobra Castle – H, P, OM – H – 5.30pm.
April 1 – Low Place
- Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Quartz; 2. Kirkhead Rebel; 3. Cautious; 4. Jenny’s Quest; 5. Miterdale Duchess; 6. Huntsman’s Rally. 22 ran, time 26.03.
- Pups – 1. Miterdale Diamond; 2. Huntsman’s Sunshine; 3. Huntsman’s Sparkle; 4. Miterdale Dust; 5. Maggie Moon; 6. Ridgeline. 14 ran, time 18.42.
- Open Maiden – 1. Cuckoo Lane; 2. Kinniside Miracle 3. Missriff 4. Fly Me To The Moon 5. Red Baaed 6. Milo Moon 15 Ran Time 18.41
- All In – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel 2. Hawkswood; 3. Apache Raider; 4. Kinniside Dan; 5. Clementine; 6. Miterdale Honesty. 10 ran, time 18.14
April 2 – Oulton
- Hounds – 1. Biff; 2. Rex The Rocket; 3. Sir Robert; 4. Thorn Pop; 5. Winterfell; 6. Overwater Louie. 19 ran, time 33.54.
- Pups – 1. Embrace; 2. Mel; 3. Rodney Raider; 4. Thorn Bear; 5. Money Talks; 6. Light Up. 24 ran, time 17.58.
- Open Maiden – 1. Dundee; 2. Shine On; 3. Imagine; 4. Sweet Dreams; 5. Tesla; 6. Thorn Thunder. 29 ran, time 17.40.
- All In – 1. Cracking Spirit; 2. Splendid Mickey; 3. Dream Catcher; 4. Delta Supreme; 5. Foxparke Joey Elliot; 6. Prospect Spring. 17 ran, time 18.00.
