Steel Rigg staged the Border Supporters last trail for 2023 on Saturday and the five-race card was started by the seniors.
There was a slip of 11 hounds and again Winterfell was favourite to win despite him only finishing third on Thursday at Middle Moss. Last time round Steel Rigg in June Winterfell claimed first place.
As they showed on the long run in, Winterfell was blazing a lonely path and was heading back home on his own. He must have had 200 to 300 yards lead from the next hound and won easily from Willie and Daphne Mark’s Summer Spirit.
Lady Million ran a good race for Joy and Brain Lister in third with Neil and Gillian Brown’s Dundee finishing in fourth place.
The McMaster family’s Silver Streak took fifth place with dear old Ron taking the last ticket.
Next to run were the open pups with just six runners. Silver Dream would have been the punters favourite to win, or could Artist who was nearly always bridesmaid to her get one over on her before the end of the season?
As the hounds came on to the finish it was the much improved Hey Mac who was in the lead but as they approached the line Artist came through and took the win much to the delight of Bill Mellon and the rest of the family.
Silver Dream did come through from fourth place to take third but she was too far behind to catch Hey Mac and Artist. Sportsman finished in fourth place with Christopher Henderson’s Light Up finishing in fifth place and Denton Fury taking the last ticket. The win takes Artist to 10 with 11 seconds and 12 thirds.
Next up were the puppy maidens with the points competition still up for grabs with the two challengers Castle Callant and Spring Remedy in opposition. Sophie Steele was hoping to hang on to the top place with her hound Miterdale Dust.
As they came on to the finish Marti Borthwick’s Castle Callant had a slight lead over Jenny Horn’s Spring Remedy and crossed the line to take the six points.
Jenny earned five points with her hound so both now on 23 points alongside Thorn Bear – all of them eight points behind Miterdale Dust.
There are only two puppy maiden races left and they would have to go some to take the top place, as they would have to run on Sunday and then again on the last day and win one and get a fourth place as a minimum to pass Miterdale Dust.
Fidget finished in third place for the Lindsay sisters with Delta Samba and Delta Salsa finishing in fourth and fifth for Sarah Harper with a surprise ticket for Off-Spring his first ticket of the season.
The Open Restricted hounds were next with six runners and it was the Fire kennel who took first and second with their hounds Fire Lady in first and Fire Dancer in second, Fire Dancer, having slowed on the finish, let her kennel mate Fire Lady pass her.
Ian Fleet and Jayne Petersen’s Chapel Stile was third with Denise Bland’s Missriff finishing in fourth place, Andy Horn’s Intensity was fifth and the Fire kennel took the last ticket with Fire Belle so the Telford’s were well pleased with their three tickets.
The last race of the day was the Veteran race and punters would have been banking on Forlorn Spring to take the win.
As they showed on the finish he was bang up there in front but as they approached the line Forlorn Spring looked as though he was tiring and Delta Script passed him and crossed the line in first place.
Marti Borthwick’s Caslte Clansman finished in third with Andy Horn’s Showbiz finishing in fourth place followed home by Best Mate and then Denis Pear and Jackie Gill’s Hawkswood taking the last ticket of the day.
Thursday night had seen the penultimate trail this year for the newly formed Borders supporters group following the merger of the Border Hound Trailing Association with the HTA.
Middle Moss hosted a three card meeting with the senior hounds getting things off to a good start. There was a slip of six hounds with Winterfell being the favourite to win given his liking for the open running.
As they came back onto the finish the first three hounds had a slight lead over the rest of the runners and it was Christopher Henderson’s Shine on who was heading the first three and crossed the line in first followed by Ian Donaldson’s Huntsman’s Quartz and then the favourite Winterfell.
Ron, who is Winterfell’s kennelmate, finished well in fourth with Sandra Mordue and Lee Wall’s Denton Shamrock taking fifth with the last ticket going to David Clifford’s Eden Rayna.
The pups were next with seven runners and as they showed on the finish it was Lee Wall’s Denton Fury who crossed the line in first place with Christopher Henderson’s other hound Light Up taking second place.
Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Sunshine finished in third place and Willie and Daphne Mark’s Sportsman finished in fourth followed home by Brian Shaw and Marianne Nixon’s Lucky Chance. Only five finished.
The last race of the night was the Open Restricted and there were three runners. As they showed on the finish it was Marti Borthwick’s Castle Clansman who crossed the line in first followed by Denise Bland’s Missriff and then finally Sarah Harper’s Delta Samba.
Action moves to Buttermere today as the traditional Buttermere Show is hosted at Gatesgarth Farm. There is a four-card meeting with the first trail slipping at 12.30pm.
October 26 – Middle Moss
- Hounds – 1. Shine On; 2. huntsman’s Quartz; 3. Winterfell; 4. Ron; 5. Denton Shamrock; 6. Eden Rayna. 6 ran, time 32.30.
- Pups – 1. Denton Fury; 2. Light Up; 3. Huntsman’s Sunshine; 4. Sportsman; 5. Lucky Chance. 7 ran, only five finished. Time 20.52.
- Open Restricted – 1. Castle Clansman; 2. Missriff; 3. Delta Samba. 3 ran, time 21.44.
October 28 – Steel Rigg
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Summer Spirit; 3. Lady Million; 4. Dundee; 5. Silver Streak; 6. Ron. 11 ran, time 30.07.
- Pups – 1. Arist; 2. Hey Mac; 3. Silver Dream; 4. Sportsman; 5. Light Up; 6. Denton Fury. 6 ran, time 21.23.
- Puppy Maidens – 1. Castle Callant; 2. Spring Remedy; 3. Fidget; 4. Delta Samba; 5. Delta Salsa; 6. Off-Spring. 6 ran, time 26.51.
- Open Restricted – 1. Fire Lady; 2. Fire Dancer; 3. Chapel Stile; 4. Missriff; 5. Intensity; 6. Fire Belle. 6 ran, time 25.26.
- Veterans – 1. Delta Script; 2. Forlorn Spring; 3. Castle Clansman; 4. Showbiz; 5. Best Mate; 6. Hawkswood. 7 ran, time 22.18.
