Wednesday night saw a return to Redmain for a three race meeting when conditions for the hounds were warm but once the sun went down it turned out to be quite cool.
The seniors had a good slip of 18 hounds and the local Dearham kennel of Joe Abram and Nicola McMaster were looking to gain some points with three runners in the race – Silver Dream, Silver Streak and Sarah Jane.
Competition was likely to come from Lady Million who seems to be in good form as well as the consistent Mel.
As the dogs showed running out towards Bridekirk it was Mel who was leading them with Silver Dream and Silver Streak in close pursuit.
Once they had turned and were heading back towards the finish and in view of everyone they had lost Silver Streak who was a little way back and it was Silver Dream and Sarah Jane who were leading with Mel close behind.
Once in the last field there was only a yard or so between the first three hounds and Mel looked as though she might come through but there is no beating Silver Dream once she has her head in front.
She just came away a couple of yards before the line to win followed by kennel mate and sibling Sarah Jane to make it a one-two for the Dearham kennel.
Mel ran a valiant race to claim third place for Les Reid and Ellie Napier while Silver Streak finished in fourth, some twenty yards off the pace with Croft Lass running on well for Carol and Stanley Jackson in fifth. Busy Again finished in sixth for Alan Blacklock and daughter Carol.
The win for Silver Dream just takes her to within a point of the current championship leader, another kennelmate in Rodney Raider who had his first outing for a while at the Premier Trails on Saturday but didn’t ticket.
Next up were the pups with a slightly smaller field of 10 runners. The Dearham entry Thornton was 4/6 on with the bookies who had Minnie Million at 3/1 and Thorn Soul at 7/2.
As the hounds ran down to Bridekirk reports from the punters were that it was the Thons that were out in front followed closely by Thornton.
Minnie Million wasn’t too far behind and the troublesome gate that always seems to catch her out was open so that didn’t take the wind out of her sails.
Once back on the run-in it was Minnie Million and Thornton who were racing neck and neck with the two Thons in hot pursuit.
As they came to the line it looked as though Thornton was going to notch up another win but Minnie Million dug deep and made one last push to cross half a length in front for Joy and Brian Lister who were highly delighted with the win.
In third place was Thorn Soul who seems to be running well at the moment after her win on Saturday for Colin Satterthwaite. The kennel’s Thorn Heart has also improved, finishing in fourth place.
George McGimpsey and daughter and granddaughter Gillian and Millie Telford’s Millie’s Lass finished in fifth place with Huntsman’s Trouble for Denise Bland and Co finishing in sixth.
The last race was the open non-winners with a good slip of 16 runners. Given that it was an open non-winners the betting was wide open as potentially anything could finish first.
Paddy The Plasterer for Tania Satterthwaite was 2/1 with Peggy Sue at 5/2 and Thorn Star 7/2.
As the hounds went away down to the bottoms towards Bridekirk it was Off Spring for Jacob and Stuart Jeynes who was heading up the race with Foxparke Elliot’s Lass there as well not too far behind.
As they showed on the finish Off Spring was still there but other dogs were now running alongside with Paddy The Plasterer being up there along with Foxparke Elliot’s Lass and Meadow Lane.
When they came to the line it looked like it was going to be a blanket finish but they did just separate making the judging a little bit easier.
The first hound to cross the line after coming from third place was Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson’s Meadow Lane.
She won by half a length from Foxparke Elliot’s Lass who was also finishing well for Robyn, Ellie, Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
Paddy the Plasterer for Tania faded slightly and took the third ticket with Off Spring staying on to get fourth place for Stuart and Jacob. In fifth place was a much improved Lucky Breeze for Lisa Whitfield with the last ticket of the night going to Jenny Horn’s Spring Rhyme.
With only eleven weeks left of the season things are hotting up for the Championship title.
Currently Rodney Raider is still in front for Nicola McMaster and David Todhunter with ten wins but has been off for a number of weeks and is only potentially just coming back to running but may take a little while to get race fit again.
Kennel mate Silver Dream is running well and has caught up to Rodney and is now just one point behind. Their nearest rivals are Huntsman’s Rebel, Mel, Cautious and Embrace all sitting on five points.
In the puppy championship it is also tight with Huntsman’s Time and Thornton still battling it out with just two point between them. Countess Ava is the nearest rival with ten points some six points adrift of Huntsman’s Time.
In the points competitions Eden Romina for David Clifford is way out in front with 61 points. Thorn Pop is still heading up the Open Restricted points competition but is slowly being caught by Christine Brownlee’s Malia.
Following last night’s race the Open Non-Winners point competition is headed up by joint leaders Spring Remedy and Paddy The Plasterer. Adele is just out in front in the Veteran points competition but it is close with just two points between her and Miterdale Duchess. The long-time leader in the senior Maidens points competition Ruby has just been over taken by Miterdale Dust who now has a four point advantage.
The puppy maiden points competition is also close at the moment with three hounds all on seventeen points – Ben, Thorn Heart and Zeta.
Today sees the traditional Rydal Mount Sheep Dog Trials which also host three hound trails.
Then at the weekend there’s Rusland Show on the Saturday and the first of two trails to be held at Wythop on Sunday.
August 14 – Redmain
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Sarah Jane; 3. Mel; 4. Silver Streak; 5. Croft Lass; 6. Busy Again. 18 ran, time 26.50.
- Pups – 1. Minnie Million; 2. Thornton; 3. Thorn Soul; 4. Thorn Heart; 5. Millie’s Lass; 6. Huntsman’s Trouble. 10 ran, time 18.27.
- Open Non-Winners – 1. Meadow Lane; 2. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 3. Paddy The Plasterer; 4. Off Spring; 5. Lucky Breeze; 6. Spring Rhyme. 16 ran, time 19.05.
