Monday saw the second of the four trails to be held at Wardhall and it was a fine night to start.
But just after the seniors slipped the heavens opened, making it unpleasant for the owners and spectators, but improving the running conditions for the hounds.
There were 18 senior hounds with Huntsman’s Rebel looking for another win and Silver Dream looking to improve on last time when she narrowly lost out.
Also running was the consistent Mel for Les and Graham Reid and new co-owner Ellie Napier.
As they showed on the finish there was four hounds with a slight lead and when they crossed the road and started to climb up to the finish the quartet remained together.
As they neared the finishing line Mel came away and crossed the line in first place from Glamorous Ava for James and Ava McClelland, who was only just a yard behind.
Silver Dream could only manage third place for the Dearham kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster with Busy Again for Alan Blacklock taking fourth place.
Denise and Jenny Bland, Jim and Alan Little and Graeme Little’s Huntsman’s Rebel finished in fifth place, lacking a little pace unlike the last time round Wardhall where she finished like a train to take the win.
Silver Streak picked up sixth ticket but with many of the ticketing hounds having ran over the weekend the decision by Les, Graham and Ellie not to run paid off as Mel was the fresher dog on the night and it was nice to see her get a win as she so often just misses out. She had been 7/2 with the bookies.
Next to slip were the open pups with 15 of them and Thornton was the odds on favourite at 4/6, justified because he has been running really well and his finishing has certainly improved over the last few weeks.
As the hounds showed in the bottom it was Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Billy Birkett’s Sonny Bill who was heading up the race and he remained in front until the last field.
But as they climbed up to the finishing tape Thornton came through from second place to win easily, actually finishing with a massive leap over the line.
Sonny Bill stayed on well but just couldn’t match the pace of Thornton as they approached the line and he took the second ticket.
A much-improved Peggy Sue for Gillian Brown and Mickey O’Brien took third ticket with James and Ava McClelland taking fourth and fifth with Countess Ava and Baroness Ava. Denise Bland and Co’s Huntsman’s Trouble took the last ticket.
The win for Thornton takes him to six wins in total, still six behind current puppy leader Huntsman’s Time.
The weather had improved by this stage and the night had dried up as the open restricted were next and had a good slip of 22.
The open restricted trail seems less popular these days than the open maiden so it was a wide open race especially in the bookies ring.
As they showed on the finish there were two hounds clear of the main bunch – Cathy Lister’s Dream Catcher and Colin Satterthwaite’s Thorn Pop.
All Dream Catcher had to do was keep running and cross the line as Thorn Pop in her usual style was content to follow on. Just a yard from the line Dream Catcher decided to put a slight swerve in her running line but managed to get across the line before Thorn Pop who finished in second.
The next few hounds were bunched together and it was Christine Brownlee’s Malia who got up to take third place by half a length from Geoff and Gillian Higgin’s Lucky Lottie in fourth and then a close finish in fifth for Tony Jackson and Ian Rudd’s Kinniside Jacko. Tania Satterthwaite’s Swamp Fox claimed the last ticket of the night.
The win for Dream Catcher took her to second in the open restricted points competition and the second place for Thorn Pop extended her lead even further with a gap of twenty six points between the two hounds.
Action moves back to Potter’s Park on Wednesday night with a four race card and on Thursday night the venue is Cleamire, again with four races on the card.
All details are available at houndtrailingassociation.com
June 10 – Wardhall
- Hounds – 1. Mel; 2. Glamorous Ava; 3. Silver Dream; 4. Busy Again; 5. Huntsman’s Rebel; 6. Silver Streak. 18 ran, time 26.44.
- Pups – 1. Thornton; 2. Sonny Bill; 3. Peggy Sue; 4. Countess Ava; 5. Baroness Ava; 6. Huntsman’s Trouble. 15 ran, time 16.35.
- Open Restricted – 1. Dream Catcher; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Malia; 4. Lucky Lottie; 5. Kinniside Jacko; 6. Swamp Fox. 22 ran, time 16.20.
