Saturday saw a return to Low Place for the third meeting in the series and there were four races on the card.
The first two senior trails over the course had gone to Cautious and Huntsman’s Quantum and both were in the line-up again.
Thirteen of them were slipped on a dry, but very blustery day and when they showed on the top Cautious had a nice lead but the others were catching her.
As she dropped in she managed to maintain her lead and won nicely to take her tally to two wins out of three for Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley, whose custard cream biscuits must be working their magic!
Finishing well in second was Ian Bell’s Howgill Lil followed home by Alan and Jim Little and Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Quantum who just couldn’t do it this time and had to settle for third place.
Foxparke Honk Honk, also know as Squeak, came in well for fourth place for the Napier and Butler kennel while Denise Bland’s other hound Missriff was fifth ahead of James and Ava McClelland’s Glamorous Ava who took the last ticket.
Cautious must have been cracking on as it was the fastest time for the three senior trails so far at Low Place.
Next to slip were the open puppies with 11 in the race. Denise Bland and her team were looking for another junior win and had a number of hounds running in the race.
As they showed on the top there were plenty of hounds in with a chance, and as they came on to the finish they were still altogether. However they seemed to fan out with some looking as though they were heading behind the judge making the judging very difficult.
The result was that Classmate took first place for Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough with Black Eyed Bill for the Lyon, Parkin and McClean kennel gaining second.
In third and fourth were Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little’s and Lisa Crosby’s Huntsman’s Trouble and Huntsman’s Tramp.
Sophie Steele’s Miterdale Rumble finished in fifth with Huntsman’s Trust for the Bland kennel taking the sixth ticket. All six hounds finished within a couple of yards of each other.
The open maiden race was next with 18 runners and as they showed on the tops two of them had a slight lead and when they appeared in the last field Ruby, for Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley, ran slightly wide.
She corrected herself, however, and was able to win by a couple of yards from Black Eyed Shadow for the Lyon, Parking and McClean kennel who had run a cracking race.
The win for Ruby gave Isla and Stephen their second double of the season, not bad going given that we are just starting the second week of the championship.
Glenis and Raymond Farren’s Huntsman’s Rally was third with Foxparke Majesty finishing really well in fourth place for Robyn, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brook Butler.
Denise Bland’s Huntsman’s Quirk finished in fifth and Green Queen took the last ticket for the Green boys from Cleator Moor.
The last trail of the day was the first Veterans race of the season race with a really good slip of 18 hounds.
Last year’s runner up in the senior hound championship Miterdale Duchess was running as she is now eligible for the veteran grade and she was expected to have a good chance given her record round Low Place and given that it was over the shorter distance.
As they showed Miterdale Duchess did indeed come with a lead and won nicely for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill from Kinniside Jacko for Tony Jackson, Ian Rudd and Geoff Higgins in second place.
Zola for Stephen Irving finished third, following her return from running in Ireland last year, while James Irving’s Overwater Marvin was fourth. Roy Laidler’s Cuckoo Lane finished in fifth with Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving’s Bob taking the last ticket of the day.
Action moves to Oulton again on Sunday from the fell to fields, dykes and moss.
Action kicks off at 2pm with a four card meeting. Denise will be taking Huntsman’s Time and will be looking for a win to extend her lead in the Puppy Championship but will the local hounds Thorn Sass and Thorn Soul spoil the party.
April 6 – Low Place
- Hounds – 1. Cautious; 2. Howgill Lil; 3. Huntsman’s Quantum; 4. Foxparke Honk Honk; 5. Missriff; 6. Glamorous Ava. 13 ran, time 26.29.
- Pups – 1. Classmate; 2. Black Eyed Bill; 3. Huntsman’s Trouble; 4. Huntsman’s Tramp; 5. Miterdale Rumble; 6. Huntsman’s Trust. 11 ran, time 20.24
- Open Maiden – 1. Ruby; 2. Black Eyed Shadow; 3. Huntsman’s Rally; 4. Foxparke Majesty; 5. Huntsman’s Quirk; 6. Green Queen. 18 ran, time 17.43.
- Veterans – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Kinniside Jacko; 3. Zola; 4. Overwater Marvin; 5. Cuckoo Lane; 6. Bob. 18 ran, time 18.03.
