Monday saw a return to better weather when the HTA was back at Potter’s Park for a three-race card and an all-in.
The senior hounds got things off to a start when 16 were slipped and it looked to be a good race outside with the lead changing hands a couple of times as the hounds completed the course. Embrace was heading them as they dropped down from the fell and as they came onto the finish two hounds had a lead.
It was Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Ian Rumney’s Embrace who was battling it out with Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley’s Cautious.
After a good race to the line Embrace just pulled away with a yard or so to spare for the win with Cautious having to make do with second.
The next two hounds were a few hundred yards behind and it was another good race before Sportsman for Willie and Daphne Mark just pulled away from Glamorous Ava for James and Ava McClelland.
Busy Again for Alan Blacklock finished well to take fifth with Miterdale Duchess among the tickets by claiming the sixth. She seems to like the longer trail rather than the shorter one.
Joel Bulman, one of the junior members, who is pictured with Embrace, actually ran part of the senior trail so well done to him for being keen and helping to keep the sport going. Hopefully it will be the first of many.
The open pups were next to slip with 17 of them and the in-form Thornton was 2/5 on with the bookies as he sought his eighth win in a row.
As they came back in to sight all Thornton had to do was finish in his usually impressive way but for some reason he ran off the trail and let the others come through.
Crossing the line in first place was Debbie and Lana McGee’s Apache Chief who finished well in front of James and Ava’s Countess Ava in second place. Sophie Steele and Co’s Miterdale Rumble finished well in third place with James and Ava’s other hound Baroness Ava taking fourth.
After running off Thornton finished well but couldn’t make anything up on the leading hounds and had to settle for fifth place. Brian and Erin Rowlandson’s Blue Striker finished in sixth.
The open maidens were next and there was a slip of 27 and a good race had developed when they showed on the finish between the first three hounds.
In the end it was the 6/1 shot Foxparke Majesty who finished the best of the three and came from third to take the win for Robyn, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
In second place was Eden Romina for David Clifford and in third was Neil and Gillian Brown’s Hey Mac. Tony Jackson and Ian Rudd’s Lucky Moon (current trainers for owner Geoff and Gillian Higgin’s) has had a significant improvement in form of late and finished well in fourth place with Sophie Steele’s team getting another ticket with Miterdale Honesty. The Napier and Butler kennel took the last ticket with Foxparke Danny Elliot.
The last race of the night was the All-In and it was a good race between four hounds with Eagle Girl finishing the best to take the win with Sarah Jane taking second and Foxparke Fair lady in third place.
Trailing returns tomorrow at Wardhall for the last of the final of the four meetings on Wednesday with the first trail getting things underway at a revised time of 6pm.
June 17 – Potter’s Park
- Hounds – 1. Embrace; 2. Cautious; 3. Sportsman; 4. Glamorous Ava; 5. Busy Again; 6. Miterdale Duchess. 16 ran, time 30.36.
- Pups – 1. Apache Chief; 2. Countess Ava; 3. Miterdale Rumble; 4. Baroness Ava; 5. Thornton; 6. Blue Striker. 17 ran, time 19.26.
- Open Maidens – 1. Foxparke Majesty; 2. Eden Romina; 3. Hey Mac; 4. Lucky Moon; 5. Miterdale Honesty; 6. Foxparke Danny Elliot. 27 ran, time 19.00.
- All-In – 1. Eagle Girl; 2. Sarah Jane; 3. Foxparke Fair Lady; 4. Eden Rayna; 5. Foxparke Side Kick; 6. Foxparke Honk Honk. 11 ran, time 18.40.
