Ambleside Sports hosted a five-card meeting and it was the senior hounds that got things underway.
With the hounds slipped from the middle of the ring it was a grand spectacle for the crowds to see although there was a slightly smaller field of senior hounds than last year with just eight runners.
Championship leader Winterfell was back out running after returning to the start on Wednesday night at Cold Fell. He seems to have lost his mojo at the moment but owners Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough were hoping that he would find it again.
There was have strong competition from others in the field, including Miterdale Duchess and Huntsman’s Quantum, who had finished second at last year’s Sports meeting.
As they came onto the finish there was no sign of Winterfell, but out in the front was Huntsman’s Quantum who won easily for Alan and Adrian Little.
Miterdale Duchess pushed out a head to take second place from Brian Graham’s Reebok but Winterfell could only finish in fourth place, although at least he was back in the tickets.
Next into action were the senior maidens with 10 runners this time and as they came onto the finish it was a much closer affair for first place with Eleanor’s Lass and Ruby neck and neck as they came to the line.
In the end Eleanor’s Lass for Brian Graham just got up by a head to beat Ruby who is owned by Stephen Riley. Cuckoo Lane for Roy Laidler finished in third place and the Foxparke kennel finished fourth and fifth with Foxparke Mo Farren and Foxparke Whoosh.
The open puppy race was next up and was a more open affair with many of the top ticketing hounds having run the night before at Cold Fell. Rodney Raider and Glamorous Ava were favourites as they set off.
When they came back on the finish it was the smaller bitch Glamorous Ava that was well clear and finished well ahead of any of the other hounds for James McClelland.
Next in was Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Sunshine who finished well followed home by Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter’s Rodney Raider. The tricky fell conditions perhaps didn’t suite Rodney Raider, the puppy championship leader, who seems to run better on the open ground.
There was a slightly bigger field of puppy maidens and it was Denise Bland’s other hound Huntsman’s Star who took the win ahead of Caroline Graham and Stephen Irving’s Hunter’s Zodiac in second place.
The last race of the day was for the Open Restricted with a field of 14 runners. Huntsman’s Major was sent off favourite but it was Ryan and Tom Bell’s Ron who came with a good lead to cross the line first.
Last year he wons the senior maiden trail so he obviously likes the running at Ambleside. He beat home Denise’s Huntsman’s Major who finished in second place followed home in third place by Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving’s Bob.
After a busy couple of days trailing at Cold Fell on Wednesday and then Ambleside Sports on Thursday those who were keen were up early Friday morning to travel up to Langholm Common Riding to run their hounds at the event.
The race is at 6.30am in the morning so many of those attending would have to be up in the early hours to get there.
This year there was a good slip of 19 hounds. The winning hound gets £300 prize money, a trophy, rosette and a dog sheet. The rosette and dog sheet are traditionally made to match the colours of the winning horse in the Derby.
As the hounds came back onto the finish there was three hounds with a bit of a lead, but it was Denise Bland’s little bitch Huntsman’s Rebel who just got up to take the win from a surprise Dundee for Neil and Gillian Brown and Derek and Joel Bulman, followed in by Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Cautious.
Action moves to Cock How today with the final of the Trilogy Series. These races will determine who takes home the additional prize money on offer. First race slips at 1pm.
July 27 – Ambleside Sports
- Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Quantum; 2. Miterdale Duchess; 3. Reebok; 4. Winterfell; 5. Miterdale Dusk; 6. Kirkhead Rebel. 8 ran, time 34.39.
- Maidens- 1. Eleanor’s Lass; 2. Ruby; 3. Cuckoo Lane; 4. Foxparke Mo Farren; 5. Foxparke Whoosh; 6. Green Flyer.10 ran, time 36.46.
- Pups – 1. Glamorous Ava; 2. Huntsman’s Sunshine; 3. Rodney Raider; 4. Sarah Jane; 5. Artisan; 6. Kinniside Miracle. 11 ran, time 19.52.
- Puppy Maidens – 1. Huntsman’s Star; 2. Hunter’s Zodiac; 3. Miterdale Dainty; 4. Foxparke Danny Elliot; 5. Foxparke Dealer; 6. Green Queen. 13 ran, time 20.59.
- Open Restricted – 1. Ron; 2. Huntsman’s Major; 3. Bob; 4. Maverick; 5. Miterdale Honesty; 6. Dream Catcher. 14 ran, time 17.38
