Monday night saw the first of three meetings planned for Latrigg Top, just outside Keswick, over the next few weeks.
It was a lovely night for the first trails of the season at the picturesque venue, but perhaps a little too warm for the opening race with the heat taking everyone by surprise.
With spectacular views over Keswick and the surrounding fells, and a good turnout of people, the seniors got things off to a start with a slip of 12 hounds.
Huntsman’s Rebel was the red hot favourite with the bookies as she has a good record round the course and there was no Winterfell, the champion still nursing tender feet nor Rodney Raider, Saturday’s senior winner from the International and current senior table leader.
Last year’s runner-up in the senior championship Miterdale Duchess was among the runners and was sent off second favourite.
As the hounds came back into sight through the back fell it was Huntsman’s Rebel and Miterdale Duchess who were heading up a small group of hounds.
The hounds then dropped down out of sight before coming back into view again on the far fell before dropping down in to the bottoms.
By this time two hounds had established a lead but Huntsman’s Rebel decided to put a circle in before dropping down out of sight.
As they climbed back up to the long finish there were still only two hounds Huntsman’s Rebel and Miterdale Duchess who had both ran a cracking race given the warm conditions.
Huntsman’s Rebel had a few yards lead as they came into sight and that’s how it remained until they crossed the line. Miterdale Duchess looked as though she might have come on to pass Huntsman’s Rebel but she just couldn’t manage it.
The win for Huntsman’s Rebel takes her in to second place in the senior hound championship for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little with a total now of five wins.
There was a long gap before the next hounds showed and it was Cautious who just got the better of Mel 100 yards from the tape to take third place for Isla Hetherington and Stephen Riley. Mel ran on well for Les Reid and Ellie Napier.
Next to come in was Foxparke Mysteriously in fifth place for the Napier and Butler kennel and eventually Lucky Moon came in to claim sixth for Tony Jackson and Ian Rudd who are now training the hound on behalf of Geoff and Gillian Higgins.
With the evening becoming a little cooler the open pups slipped with Denise and Co looking for a double on the night with her hound Huntsman’s Time, who was the odds-on favourite with the bookies.
As they climbed up and over the fell it looked as though it might be Denise’s night but as they climbed back up and on to the far fell Huntsman’s Time was still there but like her kennel-mate Huntsman’s Rebel decided to run off the trail before coming back on to it and dropping down.
As they climbed back up to the finish and came into view there were three hounds together and as they came closer to the finish Huntsman’s Time was only in third place.
The race for first was between Thorn Soul and Countess Ava and they both ran on well with the 8/1 chance Thorn Soul just getting home by half a length to win for Colin Satterthwaite.
Huntsman’s Time wasn’t far behind and finished in third place and Christine Brownlee was pleased with her little hound Maeve who finished in fourth place.
Denise’s other hound Huntsman’s Trust finished in fifth place with the Napier and Butler team bagging their second ticket of the night with Foxparke Elliot’s Lad, winner from the international puppy maiden race on Saturday.
Next to slip were the open maidens with 27 involved and at the half-way point it looked positive for the Eagle kennel with two of their hounds in the first five. Miterdale Honesty was also there in the mix.
As they came back up towards the finish and into view the 2/1 shot Miterdale Honesty had established a lead and came in well to to take first place for Sophie and Katie Steele.
The Napier and Butler team claimed another ticket with Foxparke Who Gives A Toss who stayed on well to claim second place with Saturday’s veteran winner Crazy finishing well to claim the third ticket for Jonty and Evie Moor and Jack Thompson.
The Napier and Butler team bagged yet another ticket, this time with Foxparke Bugga Boo in fifth, with the last ticket going to Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgia Bryden’s Eagle Love.
The open maiden race was four minutes faster than the open pups.
The last race of the night was the open restricted with a slip of 15 hounds and the night had cooled somewhat, making it better for the hounds out on the fell.
As they showed on the finish one hound had established quite a lead. It was Julie Birkenshaw and Brian Graham’s Bretton, sent off at 6/4, who finished well to take the win easily.
Showing in second place was again another Foxparke in the form of Foxparke Sassy Girl who stayed on well to take second place from Kirkhead Rebel who claimed third ticket for Sophie Steele and Roy Laidler.
Brian Graham and Eleanor Chisholme’s Elanor’s Lass finished in fourth place. Sophie Steele did well with her other hound Kinniside Bobby to take fifth place and the last ticket of the night went to Tania Satterthwaite’s Swamp Fox.
They are back at Latrigg on Wednesday night with the first trail starting at 6pm.
June 24 – Latrigg
- Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Rebel; 2. Miterdale Duchess; 3. Cautious; 4. Mel; 5. Foxparke Mysteriously; 6. Lucky Moon. 12 ran, time 31.43.
- Pups – 1. Thorn Soul; 2. Countess Ava; 3. Huntsman’s Time; 4. Mave; 5. Huntsman’s Trust; 6. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad. 14 ran, time 22.22.
- Open Maidens – 1. Miterdale Honesty; 2. Foxparke Who Gives A Toss; 3. Crazy; 4. Foxparke Bugga Boo; 5. Miterdale Dusk; 6. Eagle Love. 27 ran, time 18.21.
- Open Restricted 1. Bretton; 2. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 3. Kirkhead Rebel; 4. Eleanor’s Lass; 5. Kinniside Bobby; 6. Swamp Fox. 15 ran, time 18.59.
