Monday night saw the conclusion to the two meetings at Rusland when Miterdale Duchess was sent off odds-on favourite in a small field of seniors.
As they showed on the finish she didn’t disappoint and came with a slight lead over Sophie Steele’s Miterdale Honesty and held-on for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill.
She continues to close the gap on championship leader Winterfell with just three points separating them now in the race for the senior title.
Next to go were the open pups with a field of nine runners in which Glamorous Ava and Artist were joint favourites.
Glamorous Ava was looking to improve on her sixth place at the weekend but as they came onto the finish there were four or five hounds together and in with a chance of winning.
It was Artist who finished well to make it two wins at Rusland for Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey.
Glamorous Ava was there on the finish but couldn’t match the finishing speed of Artist and had to settle for second place, an improvement though on how she was placed on Saturday.
The Foxparke kennel did well with a third place for Foxparke Honk Honk who was hard on the heels of Glamorous Ava as they crossed the line, adding to the two they earned in the senior race.
The win for Artist now takes her joint fifth place in the puppy championship table alongside Glamorous Ava.
The last race of the night was the Open Restricted race with ten runners and Saturday’s course winner, Glenis and Raymond Farren’s Jenny’s Oracle, had ran a respectable race in the senior hounds to take the third ticket.
Would this leave the door open for Kinniside Bobby who was second on Saturday to go one better? He was certainly favourite in the bookies ring and when they returned onto the finish had a comfortable lead to win nicely from Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgina Bryden’s Eagle Love in second.
Sophie Steele was chuffed with the win as her hound continues to improve over recent weeks. The Foxparke kennel managed to bag another ticket with Foxparke Fair Lady finishing in third place followed home by Amber Bay in fourth for Lyn and Norman Brown.
At the end of the evening the winners of the Jean Metcalf Memorial Challenge Shield were presented and there were joint winners between Denis Pear and Jackie Gill’s Miterdale Duchess and Bill and Pat Mellon and Robert and Tina Airey’s Artist. both having had two wins over the two meetings.
The Challenge Shield was presented by Jean’s family.
Action continues tonight at Gatesgarth Farm, near Buttermere for a four card meeting with the first race slipping at 5pm.
Rusland – August 21
- Hounds – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Miterdale Honesty; 3. Jenny’s Oracle; 4. Miterdale Dusk; 5. Foxparke Rumour; 6. Foxparke Joey Elliot. 8 ran, time 27.56.
- Pups – 1. Artist; 2. Glamorous Ava; 3. Foxparke Honk Honk; 4. Miterdale Dust; 5. Green Queen; 6. Pigeon Bill. 9 ran, time 16.37.
- Open restricted – Kinniside Bobby; 2. Eagle Love; 3. Foxparke Lady Ava; 4. Amber Bay; 5. Oak Bank Izzy; 6. Foxparke Sassy Girl. 10 ran, time 16.48.Is a m
