Tuesday saw a return to Cobra Castle with a four-card meeting and the senior hounds were first to be slipped.
In a smaller than usual slip of only seven hounds James and Ava McClelland were looking for another win to extend his lead in the senior championship race with Duchess Ava.
Winterfell was back out running after taking a spell off over the weekend and out on the trail it seemed as though the 2023 champion meant business and was giving Duchess Ava a run for her money.
As they showed on the finish Winterfell had maintained his lead and finished well to take his first win of the season for Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough. Duchess Ava ran a good race but Winterfell was just too good for her on the night.
The time of the race was a minute faster than last time so Winterfell had been cracking on. His kennel mate Ron finished in third place for the Bell family.
Black Edition was stepping up in tackling this length of trail and finished well to take fourth place for Lisa and Hollie Whitfield. The last two tickets went to Sophie Steele and co’s Kinniside Miracle and Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson’ Ned’s Gain.
The open pups were next again with a smaller field when James was looking for better fortunes with his other hound Countess Ava after the disappointment in the senior hounds.
The little hound had notched up two wins at Cobra Castle already along with a win at Low Place over the weekend.
However, as they came onto the finish there were three hounds together racing neck and neck but it was Brian and Erin Rowlandson’s and Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker who just got to the line first to win from Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s Snowfell denying them a double win on the night.
Blue Striker had been running well in the March trials so it was good to see the little und get its first win. Countess Ava was close behind to take third with only a yard between the first three hounds.
Ben for Tom, Sarah and Ryan Bell claimed fourth ticket with Peggy Sue for Gillian Bulman-Brown and Mickey O’Brien in fifth and Foxparke Elliott’s Lad took the sixth ticket for the Napier and Butler kennel.
The open maidens were next with a slip of 14 runners and it was a fairly open race which showed as the hounds remained close together for most of the way round.
Things had changed when turned for home where two hounds had gained a slight advantage. Miterdale Dust and Miterdale Dusk for Sophie Steele and co were out in front with Dust running on well up the finish and taking the win from his kennel mate Dusk giving Sophie a one-two.
Stuart and Jacob Jeynes Off-Spring finished well in third place with Foxparke Joey Elliot taking fourth ticket and Lucky Moon in fifth. Last Years runner up in the senior maiden competition Foxparke Who Gives A Toss finished in sixth.
The last race of the night was the veterans again with a smaller field of just eight runners. Zola was favourite in the bookies ring and led the race for the majority of the way but seemed to lose some ground as they turned for home.
This allowed Miterdale Duchess to come through and it was a good race up the finish with Zola, Miterdale Duchess and Adele in with a chance of winning.
In the end Miterdale Duchess held on to take the win for Denise Pear and Jackie Gill with Zola finishing in second place for Stephen Irving and Adele was third for Tom, Sarah and Ryan Bell.
Brian and Erin Rowlandson’s Blue Diamond finished in fourth place ahead of Foxparke Jiggly Puff. Last year’s Veteran competition winner Forlorn Spring was sixth for Stuart and Jacob Jeynes.
Action returns to Oulton on Thursday night for the final race in the series. The first trail is off at 5.30pm.
Cobra Castle – April 16
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Duchess Ava; 3. Ron; 4. Black Edition; 5. Kinniside Miracle; 6. Ned’s Gain. 7 ran, time 26.54.
- Pups – 1. Blue Striker; 2. Snowfell; 3. Countess Ava; 4. Ben; 5. Peggy Sue; 6. Foxparke Elliott’s Lad. 11 ran, time 20.03.
- Open Maiden – 1. Miterdale Dust; 2. Miterdale Dusk; 3. Off-Spring; 4. Foxparke Joey Elliott; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Foxparke Who Gives A Toss. 14 ran, time 20.13.
- Veterans – 1. Miterdale Duchess; 2. Zola; 3. Adele; 4. Blue Diamond; 5. Foxparke Jiggly Puff; 6. Forlorn Spring. 8 ran, time 18.50.
