Bank Holiday Monday saw the last fixture take place for what had been a busy weekend of trailing.
The Aspatria and Wigton area hosted a four race meeting at Uldale and the weather had improved slightly but it was still more like the back end of the year rather than an August Bank Holiday.
Despite the weather the hound trailing fraternity turned out with a number of dogs doubling up after running the day, before either at Grasmere or Potters Park.
Miterdale Duchess, Zeta, Maeve, Thornton and Reebok all doubled up and for some it paid off.
The senior hounds slipped first with 11 runners. Silver Dream was favourite looking to push on in the championship with the in-form Sportsman near the top of the bookies board along with Silver Streak who likes the course at Uldale as well.
As they crossed the first road it was Silver Dream, Huntsman’s Quartz, Silver Streak and Cautious who were all in contention and they had broken away from the rest of the hounds.
Once back on the finish there were three with a slight lead over the fourth hound.
After they navigated the rough terrain up towards the finish it was a good battle between Silver Streak and Sportsman with Silver Dream just a yard or so behind but unable to catch the front two hounds.
On the line it was tight with just a head between the first two with Silver Streak for the Dearham kennel of Joseph Abram and Nicola McMaster getting the verdict from Daphne and Willie Mark’s Sportsman.
Silver Dream finished in third place for Darren and Julie McMaster and there was a gap to the fourth hound which was Ian Donaldson’s Huntsman’s Quartz.
Brian and Joy Lister’s Dream Catcher was fifth with Cautious taking the last ticket for Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington.
The win for Silver Streak was a repeat of the HTA Premier trails where she just got up to beat Lady Million. This time round she knocked three minutes off the time as the hounds seemed to navigate the trail much better.
The pups were next with a slip of nine and Thornton and Thorn Soul were at the top of the bookies board.
As they showed on the finish there was a line of hounds coming in. It was George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford’s Millie’s Lass and Thornton who were heading up the line of dogs and as they weaved up the finish, picking out the slightly better running, it was a close thing as they got to the line.
Thornton looked as though he was going to get first but Millie’s Lass just straightened up to grab the win.
Come Fly With Me who seems to be having a great time running notched up his third ticket in a week. He finished in third place and the penny seems to have dropped regarding what it is all about much to the relief and delight of the Chisholm family.
Thorn Soul for the Burrows and Sarah Jackson finished in fourth place. George and Gillian’s other hound Millie’s Lad claimed fifth ticket and Zeta, who ran on Sunday at Grasmere, claimed the last ticket for Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham.
The win for Millie’s Lass was her third win of the season and like the senior race she knocked three minutes off the time.
The Open Non-Winners were next to run with a slip of 11. As they crossed the last road there were five hounds together and as they climbed up the hill it was Christine Brownlee’s Maeve, who had also run at Grasmere, that came away and crossed the line in first place with the other four hounds following on.
The second place was given to Gillian Bulman-Brown and Mickey O’ Brien’s Peggy Sue, followed by Off-Spring for Stuart and Jacob Jeynes in third.
Spring Remedy stayed on to get fourth place for Jenny Horn with Malcolm Holme’s Senor taking fifth There was a slight gap to sixth and this was claimed by Paddy The Plasterer for Tania Satterthwaite.
The last race of the day was the Open Maiden race with 17 runners.
Again, as they crossed the last road there were five hounds together and up the hill they remained altogether with Thorn Heart just in the last stride getting the verdict for Colin Satterthwaite from Eden Romina for David Clifford.
Hey Mac for Neil Brown, Gillian Bulman-Brown, Derrick Bulman finished in third place with Marti Borthwick and Co’s hound Castle Callant in fourth.
Joy and Brian Lister’s Imagine was in fifth with no more than a yard between all five hounds. There was a slight gap to sixth hound and this was Mike Watson’s Persian Gold.
Action gets back to normal after the excitement of the weekend with the traditional Ennerdale Show trails taking place on Wednesday followed by Lowick on Thursday night.
August 26 – Uldale
- Hounds – 1. Silver Streak; 2. Sportsman; 3. Silver Dream; 4. Huntsman’s Quartz; 5. Dream Catcher; 6. Cautious. 11 ran, time 30.00.
- Pups – Millie’s Lass 2. Thornton; 3. Come Fly With Me; 4. Thorn Soul; 5. Millie’s Lad; 6. Zeta. 9 ran, time 21.32.
- Open Non-Winners – 1. Maeve; 2. Peggy Sue; 3. Off-Spring; 4. Spring Remedy; 5. Senor; 6. Paddy The Plasterer. 11 ran, time 22.56.
- Open Maidens – 1. Thorn Heart; 2. Eden Romina; 3. Hey Mac; 4. Castle Callant; 5. Imagine; 6. Persian Gold. 17 ran, time 21.15.
