Last night signalled a return to Cold Fell where the increase in fixtures and the regular running of four trails per night is starting to show on the number of senior entries.
There were only eight at the slip, but although a small field the quality was still good with Huntsman’s Rebel, Miterdale Duchess and Busy Again at the top of the bookies board.
As the hounds showed it was Lady Million though who crossed the line in first place for Joy and Brian Lister with Huntsman’s Quartz, who has steadily been improving over recent weeks, finishing in second place for Ian Donaldson.
The win for Lady Million was her second senior win this season as the kennel seems to be in good form at the moment with their other hounds Minnie Million and Dream Catcher all ticketing in recent days.
Huntsman’s Rebel could only manage third place for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little. Busy Again for Alan Blacklock and daughter Carol finished well to claim fourth place with Miterdale Duchess in fifth for Denis Pear and Jackie Gill. Money Talks for Graham Reid took the last ticket.
The open pups were next to slip with 15 of them and although there was no Thornton, the table leader Huntsman’s Time was back out after resting the night before.
Trainer Denise Bland was hoping she would be able to extend her lead in the Championship but there was stiff opposition from the local hounds who got the better of her at Kirkland on Monday night.
As the hounds showed on the finish there were four hounds together with anyone of them in with a chance to win. However, as they got closer to the finishing line it was the local dogs who just came away to cross the line making it a one, two for James and Ava McClelland this time with the right hound crossing the line in first place,
Countess Ava won from kennel mate Baroness Ava and this gives her nine wins in the season but she still remains adrift of the top two hounds by five and six points respectively.
Finishing well in third place was Huntsman’s Time for Denise and Co with Minnie Million staying on well to claim fourth.
Peggy Sue, in fifth for Gillian Bulman-Brown and Mickey O’Brien is consistent in getting tickets but that winning one is still proving elusive for her. Thorn Soul, for Colin Satterthwaite, took the last ticket.
The open maidens were next with a slip of 19 hounds. Following the change in the rules regarding the number of wins allowed for the open maiden it is certainly more popular these days, more so than the open restricted grade but it does appear to be pulling hounds away from running in the senior trail and possibly contributing to the number of entries in the senior race.
Thorn Thunder was the favourite and when they showed back on the finish she had established a good lead, crossing the line comfortably clear for Martin, Joanna, Molly and Teddy Burrows. That win boosted her number of points and reduced the gap between her and Eden Romina at the top of the open maiden points competition.
In a very close race for second place it was Jacob and Stuart Jeynes’ Off-Spring who keeps chipping away and getting tickets. Clementine had to settle for third place for Carole and Stanley Jackson, just pipped at the line again by a short nose.
Persian Gold just got up to claim fourth place for Mike Watson with Tony Jackson and Ian Rudd’s Lucky Moon just beating Lisa and Holly Whitfield’s Audacity for fifth place.
The last race of the night was the open restricted race with just seven runners and as the hounds showed it was Lily who had established a significant lead. She came in on her own for Geoff and Barbara Jones who were highly delighted with her performance having not ran much of late.
Light Up was the next hound to cross the line for second place for Christopher Henderson and Frank Dockeray, followed closely by Blue Striker for Erin and Brian Rowlandson.
Ian Fleet’s Chapel Stile finished in fourth with Christopher and Frank’s Shine On claiming the fifth ticket. Last but not least the sixth ticket went to the Green Family with Green Flyer.
The busy week continues tonight at Calebreak for a three race card and the first race slips at 6pm.
July 31 – Cold Fell
- Hounds – 1. Lady Million; 2. Huntsman’s Quartz; 3. Huntsman’s Rebel; 4. Busy Again; 5. Miterdale Duchess; 6. Money Talks. 8 ran, time 30.53.
- Pups – 1. Countess Ava; 2. Baroness Ava; 3. Huntsman’s Time; 4. Minnie Million; 5. Peggy Sue; 6. Thorn Soul. 15 ran, time 19.29.
- Open Maidens – 1. Thorn Thunder; 2. Off-spring; 3. Clementine; 4. Persian Gold; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Audacity. 19 ran, time 19.33.
- Open Restricted – 1. Lily; 2. Light Up; 3. Blue Striker; 4. Chapel Stile; 5. Shine On; 6. Green Flyer. 7 ran, time 19.17.
