Bank Holiday Monday saw the last in the recent fixtures at Bridekirk with a five-race card for the traditional Mitchell Auction Trophies and rosettes.
The afternoon got out nicely and the running conditions for the hounds were perfect.
The senior hounds got things off to a start with a slip of15 but there was no Rodney Raider nor Winterfell, two leading hounds in the championship.
They have clearly decided to stick with a return to Steel Rigg tonight before looking forward to competing at the Dog Produce at the weekend.
The field still had a top class entry with the likes of Silver Streak, Silver Dream, Sarah Jane, Mel and Money Talks running.
Silver Streak opened-up as the bookies favourite after her impressive win the previous Thursday night. However, there was a big gamble on Embrace who had won the All-In race on the previous Thursday and clearly a number of punters fancied it to come through and win this one.
As the reports came in from outside the dogs were cracking on and running the trail well. As they past the trail field there were plenty of dogs in with a chance with three or four hounds taking turns at driving forward.
As they came back towards the field from Millstone Moor, Sarah Jane was leading the group of four hounds and looked like she was going to win easily for Nicola McMaster and Sadie Wilson.
But out of the group came Busy Again showing her fast finishing ability which has been lacking in previous races and she crossed the line in first place for Alan Blacklock by a length from Sarah Jane.
Also finishing fast was Silver Streak but the fast pace of Busy Again had caught her out and she finished in third for Darren McMaster, Anthony Skelton, Sadie Wilson and Phil Graham.
Silver Dream finished not far behind in fourth for Darren and Julie McMaster while Foxparke Honk Honk was the next hound to finish in fifth place for the Napier and Butler kennel. Mel was sixth for the Reid Brothers from Cockermouth.
The race was faster than last week which just shows what can happen when conditions are right for the hounds. The finish was one of the best seen this year.
The senior maidens were next to slip and there were 15 of them as well and also like the seniors reports from outside were that they were running well with conditions suiting them.
As they went past the field the Miterdale kennel were running well with their three hounds in the first group.
Just sitting off the pace was Hunter’s Flame who likes running at Bridekirk and was expected to be in with a good chance if she was still there on the finish. Accordingly she went to 2/1 in the bookies ring.
As they came back onto the finish the Miterdales were one, two, three, with Miterdale Dust finishing well but Hunter’s Flame was also still there and was closing in on the leader.
In fact Hunter’s Flame just got the nod on the line to win for Caroline Graham.
Miterdale Dust held on to take second for Sophie Steele and Co with Meadow Maggie finishing fast to grab third for Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson.
Miterdale Honesty and Miterdale Dusk finished fourth and fifth having faded slightly on the finish with Raymond and Glenis Farren’s Huntsman’s Rally taking the sixth and final ticket.
The open pups were next with a disappointingly small field of only seven runners with puppy leader Huntsman’s Time also opting to return to Steel Rigg on Wednesday where she won easily.
The two favourites Thornton and Sonny Bill most of the way round the trail and were there on the finishing. It was a cracking race as they came in running neck-and-neck but Thornton moved up a gear and finished well to take the lead by a length or so for Darren McMaster, Anthony Skelton and Sadie Wilson.
Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Billy Birkett’s Sonny Bill had run a great race but had to make do with second place this time.
Little Minnie Million finished well in third place for Brian and Joy Lister and she was followed home by Blue Striker for Brian and Erin Rowlandson.
The Reid brothers claimed their second ticket of the day with Good Enough who finished in fifth with the last ticket going to the Miterdale team and Miterdale Rambler. Thornton had been 6/4 in the bookies ring.
The puppy maidens were next with a better slip of fourteen runners and again it turned out to be a cracking finish with a number of dogs in with a chance.
The Thorn kennel from Wigton had three hounds in the first five However, it was Millie’s Lass from Langholm who came through from fourth place to win narrowly from Foxparke Toot Toot with only a short head separating them on the line.
It was Millie’s Lass’s first win for George McGimpsey and daughter and grand-daughter Gillian and Millie Telford.
Wwith all four races having great finishes the question was could the open restricted provide another one in the last race of the day.
There was a good slip of 19 hounds and the quality wasn’t bad either. Kirkhead Rebel, Thorn Pop and Sportsman led for the bulk of the course and as they dropped down from Millstone Moor all three hounds were still there with Kirkhead Rebel leading.
Thorn Pop was in her usual second place with Sportsman hard on their heels in third place.
As they neared the line Sportsman produced a final surge to go past the other two and win for Willie and Daphne Marks.
In second place was Thorn Pop for Colin Satterthwaite who just did enough to keep in front of Kirkhead Rebel before the line came.
Kirkhead Rebel seems to be coming back into form and seems to have settled in well at his new kennel and with his new dog handler Sophie Steele, although Roy Laidler who now shares ownership of the hound with Sophie is still in the wings supporting.
Martin, Joanna, Molly and Teddy Burrow’s Thorn Belle was in fourth ahead of Shaun and Donna Hetherington’s Splendid Lily. Tania Satterthwaite’s Swamp Fox took the last ticket of the day.
As people walked off the line there were several comments expressed about the great racing, and especially the finishes.
Action moves back to Steel Rigg tonight before the second of the HTA Major Trails in the form of the Dog Produce which will take place at Potter’s Park on Saturday.
May 27 – Bridekirk
- Hounds – 1. Busy Again; 2. Sarah Jane; 3. Silver Streak; 4. Silver Dream; 5. Foxparke Honk Honk; 6. Mel. 15 ran, time 25.58.
- Maidens – 1. Hunter’s Flame; 2. Miterdale Dust; 3. Meadow Maggie; 4. Miterdale Honesty; 5. Miterdale Dusk; 6. Huntsman’s Rally. 15 ran, time 27.42.
- Pups – 1. Thornton; 2. Sonny Bill; 3. Minnie Million; 4. Blue Striker; 5. Good Enough; 6. Miterdale Rambler. 7 ran. time 18.39.
- Puppy Maidens – 1. Millie’s Lass; 2. Foxparke Toot Toot; 3. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 4. Delta Scribe; 5. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad; 6. Spring Rhyme. 14 ran, time 19.07.
- Open Restricted – 1. Sportsman; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Kirkhead Rebel; 4. Thorn Belle; 5. Splendid Lily; 6. Swamp Fox. 19 ran, time 17.32.
