Sewing Shields, which staged the International Trails earlier in the summer, was the venue for the HTA’s latest Championship action.
But as the hound trailing calendar gets busier, the number of hounds running at each venue gets smaller.
There were fifteen runners in the first seniors race and table leader Winterfell was back out running. At the International trails he had been in front most of the way round but made a mistake on the finish which cost him the race.
As they came into sight on the long finish he was there alongside Huntsman’s Quantum and he came away to cross the line with fifty yards to spare from Huntsman’s Quantum in second place with Ron in third place.
The win takes Winterfell to fourteen championship wins and four points clear of Miterdale Duchess.
Owners Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough were pleased to see that he had returned to his winning ways while trainer Tom Bell was also delighted with first for Winterfell and third with Ron.
Huntsman’s Rebel, who was favourite on the night, finished in fourth place.
Next up was the open puppies with a relatively small field of eight runners. Table leader Rodney Raider went out as favourite, but he too had issues the last time he ran at Sewing Shields at the International trails finishing second to his kennel and litter mate Silver Dream.
As they showed in the distance there were three hounds in with a chance of winning. Fifty yards out Rodney Raider was back in third position but he shot forward in the last twenty yards and won by a couple of lengths with kennel mate Sarah Jane and Thorn Gift dead heating for second place.
It was a much stronger finish for Rodney Raider and gave him his fourteenth win of the season.
Next to the slip were the Puppy Maidens when there were nine runners and as with most maiden races it was an open one in relation to the betting with no real stand-out hound for favouritism.
As they showed on the finish it was Christopher Henderson Light Up that came with a small lead and he held on to cross the line in first place from Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Sunshine and then Anna and Kerry Lindsay’s Fidget in third place.
The last race of the night was for the Open Restricted with a better slip of nineteen runners. As they came onto the finish it was Maverick who was in front and he took first ticket with Delta Style in second for Sarah Harper, while Thorn Pop was third for Colin Satterthwaite.
Maverick had done particularly well considering he had run the night before and won at Cold Fell. The win extends his lead further in the Open Restricted Points Competition and he is now well clear of any competition.
Over all it was a good night’s trailing and the Winterfell camp will be particularly pleased that he has returned to winning ways after a bit of a lean period.
Action is back in the west on Saturday with the traditional hound trails that used to take place at Cockermouth Show now taking place at Millstone Moor. The first trail slips at 1.00pm and there is a four-card meeting.
August 3 – SEWING SHIELDS
Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Huntsman’s Quantum; 3. Ron; 4. Huntsman’s Rebel; 5. Sir Robert; 6. Summer Spirit. 15 ran, time 27.26.
Pups – 1. Rodney Raider; 2. Dead Heat between Sarah Jane and Thorn Gift; 4. Huntsman’s Sunshine; 5. Flightline; 6. Hey Mac. 8 ran, time 17.20.
Puppy Maiden – 1. Light Up; 2. Huntsman’s Sunrise; 3. Fidget; 4. Huntsman’s Delight; 5. Spring Remedy; 6. Castle Callant. 9 ran, time 18.34.
Open Restricted – 1. Maverick; 2. Delta Style; 3. Thorn Pop; 4. Denton Shamrock; 5. Missriff; 6. Splendid Lilly. 19 ran, time 17.13.
