Saturday saw the look round for the Bitch Produce trails at Sewing Shields with the next major event in the HTA calendar taking place on July 13.
It’s where all is season’s bitch pups get their opportunity to shine and find the best of their year, just the same as the dog pups did at the start of June at Potter’s Park.
Sewing Shields offers open moorland for the hounds and the seniors were the first to get going with a good slip of 20 but without the current table leader Rodney Raider or the in-form Huntsman’s Rebel. However, last year’s senior champions Winterfell was back following a short spell out of action.
The Dearham team, headed by Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster, were out in force with three runners – SIlver Dream, Silver Streak and Sarah Jane, along with Alan Blacklock’s Busy Again, the Lister’s Lady Million who seems to coming back into form and Embrace for Laura Steele and Co.
Out on the trail reports were coming in that it was a good race between Winterfell, who seemed to be back on form, Ron, Eden Rayna and Glamorous Ava with the four hounds swapping positions and taking up the lead at different points of the race.
As they came onto the finish there were two hounds who had established a lead both white hounds and as they came closer into view it was Winterfell and Lady Million who must have improved on the second half of the trail.
There were no mistakes from Winterfell this time as he did at the International last year. He came in straight and just managed to pip Lady Million for the win as she ran high and behind the judges making it difficult for them to judge her alongside Winterfell.
The win for Barry Laidler and Caroline Clough’s Winterfell saw him join Huntsman’s Rebel with five wins each following her win earlier in the week.
Denis Pear and Jackie Gill’s Miterdale Duchess finished well in third place with the Dearham team claiming fourth with Silver Streak. Glamorous Ava for James and Ava McClelland and Eden Rayna for David Clifford claimed fifth and sixth, having clearly lost a little bit of ground on the second half of the trail.
Next to race were the senior maidens and again there was a good slip of 23 hounds with Inspect, for the Lindsay sisters and Miterdale Dusk for Sophie Steele and co the favourites with the bookies but the betting was wide open.
David Clifford’s Eden Romina, winner of the Open maiden and Senior maiden titles last year, was the one that was running well outside along with Miterdale Dusk and Flightline for Ashley Horn and Sarah White.
As they showed on the finish there were four hounds together and it was Flightline who came from fourth place to win narrowly from Miterdale Dusk with Thorn Thunder for Martin and Molly Burrows claiming third. Inspect only finished fourth while David Clifford’s Eden Romina came in fifth and Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson’s Meadow Artisan taking the last ticket.
The open pups were next with Thornton looking to cut the gap behind Huntsman’s Time who wasn’t running, so competition would be from the Windermere/Yorkshire team of Barry Laidler, Caroline Clough and the Bell family who’s hounds like the open moorland running.
Thornton was the odds on favourite and as they went past the trail field the majority of the hounds were there or thereabouts with Blue Striker, Miterdale Rambler and Snowfell going well.
As they came into sight on the finish the majority of the hounds were just about there and there was only a yard or so between the first ten hounds. As they approached the line Snowfell had edged in front and won by a length for Barry and Caroline to give them a double.
There was very little between the other hounds but the judge gave second place to sibling Lassie for the Yorkshire team of Tom, Sarah and Ryan Bell with Erin and Brian Rowlandson’s Blue Striker getting third ticket. Thornton the favourite on the day only managed fourth place followed by Sonny Bill for Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Billy Birkett. The sixth ticket was awarded to James and Ava McClelland’s Countess Ava.
The puppy maiden’s were next with a slip of 31 and again it was open betting in the ring with no major stand-out favourite. As they went past the field it looked as though it was Malcolm Holme’s Senor and Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham’s Zeta who were making most of the running.
However, when they showed on the finish it could have been anyone’s race as there were plenty of dogs in with a chance but similar to the previous race it was Ben who just came through at the last minute for Tom Bell to win from a close-up Millie’s Lad for George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford. The Lindsay’s Discover was in third place ahead of Senor with kennelmate Senorita next for Malcolm Holmes. The last ticket went to James and Ava ‘s Baroness Ava.
The last race of the day was for the open restricted with a slip of 31 and Adele was the favourite with the bookies. When they went past the field Adele and Border Reign were heading up the race and as they came back into view later both had maintained their lead with Adele eventually winning easily for the Yorkshire team making it a double on the day – or a treble if you include Winterfell, given that Tom also trains Winterfell on behalf of Barry and Caroline.
Annabelle Connolly’s Border Reign claimed second place and there was a slight gap to third which was Overwater Hunter for George Burgon and Carol Logan. Christine Brownlee’s Malia ran a good race to get fourth place with Carol and Stanley Jackson’s Clementine fifth. The last ticket of the day went to the Napier and Butler kennel with Foxparke Sassy Girl.
Overall the day was very successful for the Windermere and Yorkshire combination with them winning four out of the five races and bodes well for the Bitch Produce trails.
Whilst the Bitch produce Stakes is the next major trail for the HTA attention moves to the Festival Trails which are promoted by the Festival Committee in the Whitehaven Area. They are scheduled to take place next Saturday and in advance of the Festival trails the hounds will get the opportunity to have a look round on Monday night with a four race card. The first trail at Kirkland Leaps starts at 6.00pm.
June 29 – Sewing Shields
- Hounds – 1. Winterfell; 2. Lady Million; 3. Miterdale Duchess; 4. Sliver Streak; 5. Glamorous Ava; 6. Eden Rayna. 20 ran, time 28.56.
- Maidens – 1. Flightline; 2. Miterdale Dusk; 3. Thorn Thunder; 4. Inspect; 5. Eden Romina; 6. Meadow Artisan. 23 ran, time 29.37.
- Pups – 1. Snowfell; 2. Lassie; 3. Blue Striker; 4. Thornton; 5. Sonny Bill; 6. Countess Ava. 19 ran, time 18.31.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Ben; 2. Millie’s Lad; 3. Discover; 4. Senor; 5. Senorita; 6. Baroness Ava. 31 ran, time 19.06.
- Open Restricted – 1. Adele; 2. Border Reign; 3. Overwater Hunter; 4. Malia; 5. Clementine; 6. Foxparke Sassy Girl. 31 ran, time 16.26.
