The last of the Oulton Trails was a three-card meeting when an accumulation of the money raised there will go back to the local community at the end of the season.
Colin Satterthwaite, who heads up the Oulton Supporters Committee and is the Chairman of the Aspatria and Wigton Area said he was pleased with how the trails had gone and thanked everyone who had helped put them on.
The evening turned out dry but it was still a cold night and the running around the course was heavy going with all the recent rain, making it hard going for the trailers never mind the hounds.
The senior hounds were first to get things underway with a slip of 10 and last year’s puppy champion Rodney Raider was looking to make-up for a disappointing performance at the last Oulton trail when he finished out of the tickets.
The bookies certainly thought that he would do the business as they had him even money in the ring.
As the hounds showed on the beck edge there were four with a lead followed by a fifth, a little way behind, while a sixth was a long way behind.
When they came into the last field to climb up to the finish a cracking race had developed between Rodney Raider and Strawberry Mick, who won at the Sunday meeting.
It was Rodney Raider though who moved into an extra gear and came away to finish very impressively and win for David Todhunter and Nicola McMaster.
Strawberry Mick finished well in second place followed by his kennel mate Money Talks, both for Graham Reid.
Bill and Pat Mellon and Tina and Robert Airey’s Cracking Artist ran on well to the line to take fourth with Thorn Thunder for Martin and Molly Burrows finishing fifth. Silver Streak for the winner’s Dearham kennel took the last ticket.
The win for Rodney Raider takes him clear at the top of the senior Championship table with three wins. Even with the heavy going Rodney Raider was able to knock a minute off the time compared to the same race on the Sunday.
Next to go were the open pups with a nice slip of 16 and Huntsman’s Time was the odds on favourite to win even though she didn’t win at the weekend. She had only managed second after seeming to tire a bit on the last part of the finish.
Outside the little Irish bitch was running well and maintained a comfortable lead all the way round. Once on the finish she came in well to take first ticket by a distance for Denise and Jenny Bland, Graeme Little and Lisa Crosby.
George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford’s Millie’s Lass finished well in second place followed in by Minnie Million for Brian and Joy Lister who took the third ticket.
Thornton eventually came in for fourth place followed by Millie’s Lad and a first ticket for Good Enough for Graham Reid in sixth.
The win for Denise and co maintains the little bitches lead in the puppy championship with four wins with James and Ava McClelland’s Countess Ava sitting on three wins.
The last race was for the open restricted and a good slip of 17 with no real stand-out hound in the bookies ring.
As they showed on the beck edge two had gained a lead and went into the wood but when they came out there were five hounds together.
It was the local hounds Thorn Gift and Thorn Pop who looked the most dangerous as they raced up the hill. Thorn Gift had established a lead and just held on from a very fast finishing Thorn Pop, to give Colin Satterthwaite a one-two.
Brian and Jot Lister’s other hound Dream Catcher was just half a length behind to finish in third then there was a slight gap to the fourth hound Shine On for Christopher Henderson.
Tanya Satterthwaite’s Paddy The Plasterer finished in fifth with Willie and Daphne Mark’s Sportsman taking the final ticket of the night.
Action moves to Helton this afternoon with open moorland running which should suit Winterfell having won there this time last year.
The meeting on gives a chance for all hounds to have a look round the course in advance of the HTA Major May Day trails which will take place on May 6 with a 4pm slipping time.
All the trails are worth £160 with trophies and rosettes for all ticketing hounds. All details relating to fixtures and championship tables can be viewed at www.houndtrailingassociation.com
April 18 – Oulton
- Hounds – 1. Rodney Raider; 2. Strawberry Mick; 3. Money Talks; 4. Cracking Artist; 5. Thorn Thunder; 6. Silver Streak. 10 ran, time 29.43.
- Puppies – 1. Huntsman’s Time; 2. Millie’s Lass; 3. Minnie Million; 4. Thornton; 5. Millie’s Lad; 6. Good Enough. 16 ran, time 16.32
- Open Restricted – 1. Thorn Gift; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Dream Catcher; 4. Shine On; 5. Paddy The Plasterer; 6. Sportsman. 17 ran, time 17.02
