The last Cold Fell trail for this season on Wednesday was staged on a lovely evening with the sun shining, making it a great night to be out watching hound trailing.
The senior trail led off with a small field of eight hounds, and the early starting time possibly affected runners with some people struggling for time off work to get to the trails.
However, the in-form Huntsman’s Rebel was running and although her last Cold Fell ticket was in July, she usually runs well once she has been round the trail.
Again Denise Bland and her team were not to be disappointed as they came back on to the finish with Huntsman’s Rebel crossing the line in first place to take her tenth win of the season.
Graham Reid’s Strawberry Mick finished well in second place with the Mellon team from Appleby taking third with Cracking Last One Two.
Next to cross the line in fourth place was Tony, Marlene, Conner and Carter Irving’s Rex The Rocket, with his big stride finishing well. He followed home by Ann and Malcolm Holme’s Sir Robert with the last ticket going to Dundee for Neil and Gillian Bulman.
Dundee had travelled to Ireland last weekend to run and was back on home ground finishing well, albeit in sixth place.
There were 12 for the open pups but no table leader Rodney Raider who will be saved for Calebreak tonight. That will be the policy for senior lader Winterfell, as both hounds prefer that venue to Cold Fell.
Nevertheless the Dearham kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster had hounds running in the form of Silver Dream, who seems to have been off colour a little bit of late, as well as Maverick.
There was stiff competition from Embrace and Artist, both of whom have been running well and could upset the Dearham pair.
As the hounds came back onto the finish it was Silver Dream and Embrace who were running neck and neck. When they came out of the rough ground little Silver Dream just put in a bit of a spurt to gain a few yards from Embrace and cross the line first, but only a couple of yards in it.
Artist ran on well for the Mellons to finish in third place with Maverick finishing in fourth. They were followed by Lee, Haley, George and Joey Wall’s Denton Fury from Carlisle.
The last of the six hounds to ticket was the winner of the open pups at Loweswater on Sunday, Foxparke Side Kick who seems to be coming out of her shell a little bit.
Next into action were the open maidens with a good slip of 19 hounds. Eden Romina was sent off as favourite and was looking for more points to extend her lead in the grade’s points competition.
However as they came onto the finish it was Huntsman’s Sparkle, who is still on her holiday’s with the Hills, who led. She is obviously enjoying herself there as she finished well to take her second win this season.
Her first success had been early on at Low Place in the puppy maidens but since then has only finished with minor tickets in different classes until last night.
Well done to the Hill family of Carolyn, Derek and Tracey for bringing the little bitch back inton form in a relatively short space of time.
David Clifford’s hound Eden Romina finished in second place which was exactly where he wanted her to finish. It gives the hound five points without her losing a life and extends her lead in the open maiden points competition.
Eden Romina is now 15 points clear of her nearest rival Missriff. Red Baaeed finished well in third place for Ann Reay, with Foxparke Rumour finishing in fourth place for Robyn, Ellie, Gracie and Brook.
Donna Bingham and Alex Steele’s hound Oakbank Izzy has improved over recent weeks and has had a number of minor tickets, and she finished in fifth place with Foxparke Bugga Boo claiming the sixth ticket.
The last race of the night was the All In with a good slip of 19 runners, many owners taking advantage of the opportunity to run their hounds in the shorter trail. It was Ian Donaldson’s Huntsman’s Quartz who came home first.
Action moves to Calebreak tonight with the venue always being very popular with hound owners. They should have a good turnout if the weather keeps up and then there will be no repeat of the weather conditions which hampered running at the first trail back in mid-August.
First slip is 5.45pm with a three-card meeting and both Winterfell and Rodney Raider will be looking to extend their Championship table leads further.
September 6 – Cold Fell
- Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel; 2. Strawberry Mick; 3. Cracking Last One Two; 4. Rex The Rocket; 5. Sir Robert; 6. Dundee. 8 ran, time 31.55.
- Pups – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Embrace; 3. Artist; 4. Maverick; 5. Denton Fury; 6. Foxparke Side Kick. 12 ran, time 18.53.
- Open Maiden – 1. Huntsman’s Sparkle; 2. Eden Romina; 3. Red Baaeed; 4. Foxparke Rumour; 5. Oak Bank Izzy; 6. Foxparke Bugga Boo. 19 ran, time 19.06.
- All In – 1. Huntsman’s Quartz; 2. Persian Gold; 3. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 4. Silver Streak; 5. Ned’s Gain; 6. Milo Moon. 19 ran, time 19.09.
