It was a good day for the current HTA championship leaders with both top hounds taking first prize at the Premier Trails staged at Edge’s Green.
The weather earlier in the morning may have put a few people off from making the trip but on the whole the day remained fine into the afternoon with a few odd showers much to the relief of those who had travelled.
There was a reasonable slip of senior hounds with 14 hounds and table-topping Winterfell was sent off the even money favourite.
As the hounds came back into view they had become strung out with Winterfell blazing a trail on his own. As the trail progressed he extended his lead to finish with time to spare before the next hound showed.
Connections of Winterfell were very pleased to see him back on form and striding out well. The win takes him four points clear of Miterdale Duchess who could only manage fifth place on this occasion.
Finishing in second place was Graham Reid’s Strawberry Mick who continues to be consistent in getting among the leading tickets. Ann and Malcolm Holmes Sir Robert finished well in third place.
Although it’s all open running the hounds have to be able to manage rough, boggy conditions in parts of the trail and some dogs can do this while others can’t.
Winterfell obviously doesn’t mind this, as perhaps he is used to running over such ground down in Yorkshire where he is trained by the Bell family.
Next up were the Senior Maidens again with a reasonable slip of 19 runners.
Eden Romina for David Clifford was the 2/1 favourite with Clementine for Carol and Stanley Jackson and Persian Gold for Mike Watson both at 7/2.
As they slipped a few of the senior maidens got wrong at the start and returned to the field but those hounds that got away ran on well to get round.
As they came onto the finish there were three hounds clear and it was Carolyn, Derek and Tracey Hill’s Milo Moon that just headed off a challenge from Foxparke Whoosh to take the win with only a dog’s length between them. Also finishing well in third place was Brian and Joy Lister’s Imagine.
The favourite Eden Romina could only manage fourth place for David Clifford and Eagle Love for Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgina Bryden was fifth followed home for the last ticket by Foxparke Bugga Boo.
All the top hounds were competing in the Open Puppy trail. Championship table topper Rodney Raider was the favourite at 5/4 followed by Embrace who was 6/4.
As the trail progressed it looked like it was a good race outside with the hounds running side by side with no one hound having a great advantage but as they came down onto the finish there were four or five hounds together.
When they came through the last gate and on the run-in it would be whichever hound could pick their way through the rough ground and get an advantage.
Rodney Raider, with his long stride, seemed to get the best running and just got a couple of yards on his rivals as they approached the line to take the win for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter.
Finishing well in second was Mel for Graham and Les Reid while Embrace finished was third, as neither hound was able to make up the ground once through the gate.
The win for Rodney Raider takes him five clear now in the Puppy Championship and continues his impressive performance at the major trails this year with his third win to add to his other two second places.
The Puppy Maiden race had 19 runners with Hey Mac, for Neil and Gillian Brown being backed in from 6/1 to favourite with the rest of the betting being fairly open.
As they came back on to the finish it was a good race with a number of hounds in with a chance. As they came through the last gate it was Carol and Stanley Jackson’s Croft Lass who had gained a slight advantage and made it pay as she approached the line to win by three or four lengths to the next hound.
In fact the battle for second place was a much closer affair with Thorn Bear for the Burrow’s family just getting up to beat Castle Callant who finished in third place. He obviously hadn’t had enough running and decided to go back down the finish for another gallop around before eventually coming in to collect his third place.
The favourite Hey Mac finished outside the ticketing hounds much to the delight of the book makers.
There was a field of 25 for the Open Restricted trail and it looked like a really competitive race with Maverick and Eden Rayna joint favourites at 5/2.
However as they slipped a number of the hounds seemed to make a mistake following the trail so a good few of the hounds returned to the field.
For those hounds who got away the race carried on and as they turned to come back towards the finish it look as though it was a good race.
As they came through the final gate it was Sandra Mordue and Co’s hound Mr Finnigan who had a slight advantage and the big hound stretched out towards the line to take the win, much to the delight of all the connections.
Delta Style finished well in second place for the Harper’s and Christine Brownlee’s Malia finished in third place.
The last race was for the Veterans with the majority of the eligible runners involved and making a field of 15.
The current veteran points leader Forlorn Spring was sent off the favourite at 7/4 followed by Cracking Spirit at 3/1 and Huntsman’s Major also at 3/1.
As they came on to the finish it was a good race with Delta Script having gained five or six yards and crossed the line in first place.
It was much closer for second and third place with Huntsman’s Major making a meal of it as it came through the last gate and ran wide to avoid the rough ground and it looked as though he had put himself out of the race but came back in to cross the line just under the judges camera.
When this was checked it showed he had managed to get up to take second place for Denise Bland to beat home Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey’s Cracking Spirit. The favourite Forlorn Spring finished fourth.
Despite the poor weather in the morning there was a turn-out of over 100 dogs on the day.
Normal activity resumes this week with trails at Calebreak tonight with the first trail slipping at 6pm. The trails for Rusland on Tuesday have had to be cancelled.
August 12, Premier Trails – Edge’s Green
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Strawberry Mick; 3. Sir Robert; 4. Huntsman’s Rebel; 5. Miterdale Duchess; 6. Cautious. 14 ran, time 30.01.
- Senior Maidens – 1. Milo Moon; 2. Foxparke Whoosh; 3. Imagine; 4. Eden Romina; 5. Eagle Love; 6. Foxparke Bugga Boo. 19 ran, time 33.53.
- Open Pups – 1. Rodney Raider; 2. Mel; 3. Embrace; 4. Sarah Jane; 5. Artist; 6. Glamorous Ava. 17 ran, time 16.42.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Croft Lass; 2. Thorn Bear; 3. Castle Callant; 4. Pigeon Bill; 5. Miterdale Dainty; 6. Foxparke Danny Elliot. 19 ran, time 17.33.
- Open Restricted – 1. Mr Finnigan; 2. Delta Style; 3. Malia; 4. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 5. Missriff; 6. Thorn Rose. 25 ran. time 17.41.
- Veteran – 1. Delta Script; 2. Huntsman’s Major; 3. Cracking Spirit; 4. Forlorn Spring; 5. Foxparke Jiggly Puff; 6. Foxparke Shackalackaboomboom. 15 ran, time 18.42.
