The last HTA meeting before the prestigious Dog Produce Stakes on Saturday, was at Steel Rigg.
Ahead of the Potters Park showpiece event, both Rodney Raider and Winterfell, currently first and second in the senior championship had been slipped at Saturday’s Steel Rigg meeting and then bypassed Bridekirk, for the return to Steel Rigg.
Both sets of trainers would be looking to time their running so that they would be in the best condition for the big trails on Saturday, as well as hoping to get an extra win in to the bargain.
The senior hounds started the evening’s cards with a slip of 13. There was plenty of quality hounds running in the race with Winterfell, Rodney Raider, Maverick, Huntsman’s Rebel, Thorn Gift and Glamorous Ava.
As the hounds showed on the long run in there were three hounds with a slight lead as they came through the wall onto the finish. It was Rodney Raider that came away to extend his lead and finished five or six lengths clear of the next two hounds for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter.
Maverick was leading from Adele but didn’t run on so Adele went past him to take second place for Tom, Sarah and Ryan Bell. Maverick finished in third place and then there was a gap to the fourth hound Thorn Gift for Colin Satterthwaite.
Reigning champion Winterfell finished a few lengths behind in fifth place, which was a slightly disappointing run for him, with Carol and Stanley Jackson’s Croft Lass collecting the sixth and final ticket.
Next to go were the open pups and there was a good slip of 24 hounds. Table leader Huntsman’s Time was running and was again the odd’s-on favourite.
As the pups showed on the finish there was just one well clear of the rest of the field and it was Huntsman’s Time obviously refreshed from her mini break, following her last run on Saturday. She crossed the line for an easy win, her 12th of the season.
The rest of the hounds followed some 500 yards behind with kennel mate Huntsman’s Trouble taking second place and earning a one two for Denise Bland and Co.
In third place was Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s Snowfell, who just pipped litter mate Ben and then there was a slight gap to Lassie also from the same litter, with both owned by the Bell’s from Yorkshire.
James and Ava McClelland took the sixth ticket with Baroness Ava with kennelmate Countess Ava just outside the ticketing hounds.
The open restricted hounds were next with a similar slip of 26 and as they showed Ron was well out in front from his nearest rival Eden Romina and that’s how they finished.
Ron was an easy winner for the Bell family, so it proved a reasonably good night for them with several tickets, first in the open restricted second in the seniors and fourth and fifth in the open pups. It was well worth their long travel up from Yorkshire.
David Clifford took second with Eden Romina and there was a gap to the following hounds which were more bunched.
Fire Lady for the Telford’s came through to take the third ticket with Dream Catcher for Brain and Joy Lister finishing well and hanging onto fourth.
Denise Bland took fifth place with Missriff followed by the Lindsay’s Explore in sixth place.
Many of the top hounds took the opportunity to run in the All-In trail, usually preserved for hounds returning from injury or hounds which are short of running.
The Lindsay’s Inspect finished well to take first place from Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson’s Meadow Artisan. The Dearham kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster had the next two tickets with Sarah Jane and Silver Dream.
They were followed by Neil and Gillian Brown’s Hey Mac with the winner from Monday’s trails Sportsman taking the last ticket of the night for Willie and Daphne Marks.
Looking ahead to the Dog Produce trail on Saturday where is the winner going to come from, and which hounds have the best chance?
Thornton for the successful Dearham kennel looks like he will be the favourite, having won the look round trail earlier in the month.
Leading challengers are likely to come from Sonny Bill, Millie’s Lad, Blue Striker and Foxparke Elliot’s Lad.
The weather forecast is looking good so we should be in for a good day with the first trail set for 1pm.
May 29 – Steel Rigg
- Hounds – 1. Rodney Raider; 2. Adele; 3. Maverick; 4. Thorn Gift; 5. ; 6. Croft Lass. 13 ran, time 28.29.
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Time; 2. Huntsman’s Trouble; 3. Snowfell; 4. Ben; 5. Lassi;e 6. Baroness Ava. 24 ran, time 20.08.
- Open Restricted – 1. Ron; 2. Eden Romina; 3. Fire Lady; 4. Dream Catcher; 5. Missriff; 6. Explore. 26 ran, time 19.50.
- All-In – 1. Inspect; 2. Meadow Artisan; 3. Sarah Jane; 4. Silver Dream; 5. Hey Mac; 6. Sportsman. 18 ran, time 19.49.
