Sunday saw the first in a series of three trails at Seaton as we move into the last fortnight of the season.
Unusually for Seaton the sun was shining and it was a pleasant afternoon with the senior hounds getting things underway with a small slip of seven.
A number of top class hounds were running and it would prove to be a good race.
Silver Streak was favourite with the bookies as Cracking Last One Two and Foxparke Beep Beep were close behind in the betting.
As they crossed the road at the top of Flimby Brow the hounds were running well with three having a slight lead over the rest.
As they came back onto the finish it was Foxparke Beep Beep who had a good lead from Cracking Last One Two.
Coming through the last field the going was heavy and Cracking Last One Two had made some ground up but just couldn’t get past Foxparke Beep Beep who held on to win by a short head. Although there weren’t many runners it was a cracking finish.
The next two hounds came together, Silver Streak (third) and Lady Million (fourth) and again it was a really good race to the line.
Graham Reid’s Strawberry Mick finished well in fifth place and Barncroft Express finished in sixth.
Next to run were the open pups, again with a small field but some top class hounds running.
Silver Dream was the evens favourite followed by Money Talks and Artist.
As the hounds showed on the finish it was Silver Dream and Mel who had a slight lead and they battled it out as they came through the last gate, both hounds struggling a little with the heavy going.
It was Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster who just hung in and won by a short head from Mel for Les and Graham Reid.
Graham Reid’s other hound Money Talks finished in fourth place with Artist finishing well in fifth place.
The open maidens race was next with ten runners, Hey Mac was the 4/5 on favourite with Samcro 5/2.
As they came onto the finish it looked like the Foxparke kennel was on for a double with the two leading hounds being Foxparke Rumour and Foxparke Danny Elliot.
Both hounds battled it out but it was Foxparke Rumour who just got up to take the win with its kennel mate in second place.
Lisa and Holy Whitfield’s Black Edition ran well to finish in third place and Samcro finished in fourth place.
Foxparke Joey Elliot finished in fifth place and the bookies favourite Hey Mac could only make do with sixth.
Samcro with his fourth place gathered a few more points to secure his runner up position in the open maiden competition with it very unlikely that anything will catch the two front runners now.
It was a good outcome for the Foxparke kennel making it a double on the day, with more runners in the last trail could they were looking for a treble.
The last race of the day was for the veterans with the points competition still wide open. Both of the two top hounds had come to run.
Forlorn Spring has quite a good record round the course but Huntsman’s Major probably hadn’t run at Seaton previously.
It would be quite different running for the old boy as he is used to the fell not field’s and dykes. Forlorn Spring was the bookies favourite and set out at 4/5.
However as they showed on the finish it was a surprise leader in the form of Foxparke Jiggly Puff or given his Sunday name Henry.
He had a significant lead as he came down the finish and won easily making it a fantastic treble for the Foxparke team much to Ellie and Robyn’s delight.
Forlorn Spring finished in second place and gained five points extending his lead in the veteran competition with Sarah Harper’s hound Delta Script finishing in third.
Andy Horn’s Showbiz finished well in fourth place followed home by Laura Steele’s Babyliss. The Hill’s Buster Moon taking the last ticket of the day.
Huntsman’s Major finished just outside the ticketing hounds and didn’t look too impressed with owner Denise as he was wondering where the fells were and obviously hadn’t appreciated the open field and dykes, Denise would have some making up to do with him on her long drive back to Patterdale.
Trails return to Seaton on Tuesday with a early slip of 3.30pm for a three card meeting.
October 15 – Seaton
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Beep Beep; 2. Cracking Last One Two; 3. Silver Streak; 4. Lady Million; 5. Strawberry Mick; 6. Barncroft Express. 7 ran, time 28.19.
- Pups – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Mel; 3. Money Talks; 4. Foxparke Dealer; 5. Artist. 6 ran, only 5 finished, time 19.18.
- Open Maidens – 1. Foxparke Rumour; 2. Foxparke Danny Elliot; 3. Black Edition; 4. Samcro; 5. Foxparke Joey Elliot; 6. Hey Mac. 10 ran, time 18.03.
- Veterans – 1. Foxparke Jiggly Puff; 2. Forlorn Spring; 3. Delta Script; 4. Showbiz; 5. Babyliss; 6. Buster Moon. 9 ran, time 18.07.
