Hound trailing got off to an early start on Saturday with the first trail at Wardhall taking place at 11am.
There was a good turnout and the seniors got things underway with a slip of 20 hounds but none of the top three hounds in the Championship were running.
As the hounds came back onto the finish it was Silver Dream who was still in the lead and coming away from the other hounds. As she came up the hill she had a nice lead and won by seven or eight lengths for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton with Sportsman finishing well in second place for Daphne and Willie Marks.
A length behind in third was Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley’s Cautious while the Napier and Butler kennel took the next three tickets with Foxparke Fair Lady, Foxparke Honk Honk and Foxparke Side Kick.
The win for Silver Dream, who sent off at 7/4, was her first senior success of the season.
Next into action were the open pups with a slip of 13 when Thornton was the odds on favourite at 2/5 on. Best of the rest were Sonny Bill at 5/2 and Peggy Sue 4/1.
As they past the field at the halfway point there were three hounds with a lead – Thornton, Minnie Million and Sonny Bill. Then, when they showed in the bottom these three hounds were still together as they climbed up to the finish.
Forty yards from the line Thornton pulled away and won by a couple of length for Darren McMaster and Sadie Wilson. Sonny Bill, for Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Billy Birkett, looked as though he was closing the gap but the line came too soon for him.
Minnie Million, for Brian and Joy Lister, was a yard or so behind and finished in third place.
There was gap to the next three hounds and it was Gillian Brown and Mickey O’Brien’s Peggy Sue who finished in fourth followed by Sophie Steele’s Miterdale Rumble and then Alan Blacklock’s Busy Lad.
The win for Thornton was his sixth win on the trot with now only five points between him and Huntsman’s Time.
The open maidens were next with a slip of 19 hounds and it was an open field with Eagle Girl at 5/2, Lucky Moon, Miterdale Dusk and Miterdale Dust all priced at 7/2 with Miterdale Honesty and Inspect at 2/1.
As the hounds past the field it was Miterdale Dust who was heading the race but as they showed on the finish before climbing up Eagle Girl came away and finished with a nice lead for Linda Neale, Mark, Georgia and Josh Bryden.
It was a much tighter affair for second, third and fourth place with the judge referring to the camera to confirm third and fourth places.
Lucky Moon for Geoff and Gillian Higgins finished well in second with the judge giving third place to Miterdale Dust for Sophie Steele and Co and Inspect fourth for the Lindsay sisters.
Foxparke Majesty finished well in fifth for the Napier and Butler kennel and the Miterdale team bagged another ticket with Miterdale Honesty in sixth place.
The last race of the day was the Veterans with a slip of 15 and Miterdale Duchess, who has a good record round Wardhall, was the favourite at 4/5 on with Hunter’s Flame 5/2.
The two Kinniside hounds Dan and Jacko were 7/2 with Zola and Eagle Star both at 4/1.
As they went down past the field it was the two Kinniside hounds and Zola who were heading up the race. Then when they came back into sight and climbed up the hill it was a good race but Zola just kept in front of Kinniside Dan by half a length as they crossed the line.
The win turned out to be a profitable one for owner Stephen Irving as he had placed a substantial bet at 4/1.
Tony Jackson and Ian Rudd’s Kinniside hounds seem to be coming into form as they took second and fourth ticket. Ian Bell’s Howgil Lil finished well to take third place with the Neale and Bryden camp taking fifth with the odds-on favourite Miterdale Duchess finishing in sixth place for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill.
Trailing returns to Cleamire today with a five-race card and the first trail starts at 1pm.
June 15 – Wardhall
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Sportsman; 3. Cautious; 4. Foxparke Fair Lady; 5. Foxparke Honk Honk; 6. Foxparke Side Kick. 20 ran, time 26.48.
- Pups – 1. Thornton; 2. Sonny Bill; 3. Minnie Million; 4. Peggy Sue; 5. Miterdale Rumble; 6. Busy Lad. 13 ran, time 16.39.
- Open Maiden – 1. Eagle Girl; 2. Lucky Moon; 3. Miterdale Dust; 4. Inspect; 5. Foxparke Majesty; 6. Miterdale Honesty. 19 ran, time 16.45.
- Veterans – 1. Zola; 2. Kinniside Dan; 3. Howgil Lil; 4. Kinniside Jacko; 5. Eagle Star; 6. Miterdale Duchess. 15 ran, time 16.55.
