Saturday saw the annual Festival of Racing at Kirkland Leaps.
The weather was slightly disappointing for the day with viability reduced but it didn’t dampen the expectations of the day with everyone looking for a win with excellent prize money on offer.
The meeting this year was also open to non-Hound Racing Association dogs.
It was an early start due to the number of racing throughout the day so first up were the puppy maidens slipping at 11.30am.
There were 16 hounds and at the first road it was Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little who was leading with Nellie’s Pride for Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson, with I Am It close in third place for Ruth Graham and Charlie Dixon, Pied Piper for Tania Satterthwaite was also there followed by Silver Star for Darren and Julie McMaster and Sadie Wilson followed by Minnie for Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlands, Barbara Jones and Stephen Walker.
With visibility poor, the hounds weren’t seen again until they came on to the finish. Nellie’s Pride came from third place to take the win, Minnie stayed on well and finished second with Prospect Jill taking third place for Stuart Smith her first ticket this season.
The open non-winners saw a slip of nine hounds. As reports came in from the first road it was Spring Return who was leading followed by Mr Mally, Foxparke Cheese and Beans, Foxparke Dupe, Affirmation and Lucky Legend.
By this time visibility had reduced further and when they came into view, they were well strung out with the leading hound Spring Return winning comfortably for Jenny Horn. Mr Mally for George Burgeon and Carole Tunstall in second place, followed in by Foxparke Cheese and Beans for Robyn, Nicola, Ellie and Grace Napier and Brooke Butler.
The Veterans had a slip of 10. Eagle Rock was sent off as the favourite but when they crossed at the first road he was only third for Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgia Bryden.
It was last year’s veteran winner Miterdale Duchess for Denis Peare and Jackie Gill who was heading the race followed closely by Julie Birkenshaw’s Bretton.
Once on the finish visibility hadn’t improved and it was a case of waiting for the hounds to show as they came out of the mist.
Once they did, it was Miterdale Duchess who showed with around a 50-yard advantage and crossed the line a head of Black Edition for Lisa and Holly Whitfield.
In third place was Eleanor’s Lass who just got up to beat Bretton.
The senior hounds were next to slip with the first and second hounds in the championship running, Silver Dream for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton and Sportsman for the Mark Family.
The field of 14 hounds were slipped and as reports came in from the first road it was Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier’s Mel who had a slight advantage over Alan Blacklock and Carole Harrison’s Busy Again and Silver Dream.
James and Ava McClelland’s Baroness Ava was in fourth place followed by Joy and Brian Lister’s Minnie Million and the Napier’s Foxparke Honk Honk.
Visibility on the finished had improved slightly and as they showed on the back fell it was Mel and Foxparke Honk Honk with Mel having a slight advantage.
There was a gap to the next three hounds. Once on the long run in Mel came away and finished well clear of Foxparke Honk Honk to take her fourth win of the season. Foxparke Honk Honk finished well in second and then there was a gap to the chasing group and it was Busy Again who finished the best to take third place for Alan Blacklock and Carole Harrison.
The senior maidens were next up with a slip of 22. As they crossed the first road it was Neil and Gillian Brown’s, Derrick and Joel Bulman’s Hey Mac followed by Christine Brownlee’s Mave then two of the Foxparke’s Dealer and Majesty.
As they showed on to the finish, Hey Mac and Lucky Moon had a slight lead. As they came up the long finish it was Hey Mac for Neil and Gillian who finished the better of the two to take his second win having won the shorter race earlier in the week.
Lucky Moon for Geoff and Gillian Higgins finished in second with the following hounds not too far behind. Croft Lass for Stanley, Carol and Sarah Jackson, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson claimed third place.
The open pups were next to go with nine hounds. As the weather had started to improve so had the visibility. Reports were coming in that at the first road it was Huntsman’s Unite for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graeme Little followed by Brown Sugar for Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier followed by Foxparke Oink Oink, Nellie’s Joy for Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson, Maggie and Busy Rascal.
Once on the back fell the hounds had got strung out and it was still Huntsman’s Unite with a good lead on Brown Sugar and Foxparke Oink Oink, they were followed by Busy Rascal and Zoya who were catching second and third as they came up the long finish.
Huntsman’s Unite ran on well and crossed the line as an easy winner. Foxparke Oink Oink just held on to take second place with Brown Sugar taking third place.
Last but not least were the open restricted with a slip of 31. As they crossed the first road it was Offspring for Stuart and Jacob Jeynes followed by Glamorous Ava for James and Ava McClelland then Huntsman’s Quantum for Jim, Ann, Alan and Adrian Little.
We Get By for Ruth and Charlie Dixon was next, followed by Foxparke Fair Lady with a small gap to Tracy Hill’s Huntsman’s Sparkle.
Once back on the finish there were plenty of dogs in with a chance but it was Foxparke Fair Lady, Foxparke Side Kick, Glamorous Ava and meadow Artisan who were leading. Foxparke Fair Lady came on to take the win followed by kennel mate Foxparke Sidekick with Meadow Artisan running on well to take third place for Paul Airey and Joanne Hodgson.
Despite the poor weather it had been a great day with 111 hounds taking part.
With an even earlier start Saturday also saw the Copshaw Common Riding puppy trail take place. The hounds were slipped at 6.32am and there was just a small field of four hounds running. But it was current table topper Delta Fortune who took the honours and was able to notch up his 13th win for Sarah and Baz Harper and Hartely Robinson. In second place was the Walls Denton Adonis who followed home by Deggs Moon for Caroline, Tracey and Derrick Hill and last but not least was TikTok for Anna and Kerry Lindsay.
Festival of Racing, Kirkland Leaps – July 5
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Nellie’s Pride 2. Minnie 3. Prospect Jill 4. Jenny’s Chance 5. Prospect Jan 6. Miss Becky 16 Ran Time 20.49
- Open Non Winners – 1. Spring Return 2. Mr Mally 3. Foxparke Cheese n Bean’s 4. Lucky Legend 5. Huntsman’s Delight 6. Foxparke Pip Pip 9 Ran Time 20.24
- Veterans – 1. Miterdale Duchess 2. Black Edition 3. Eleanor’s Lass 4. Bretton 5. Young Harry 6. Eagle Rock 10 Ran Time 21.05
- Hounds – 1. Mel 2. Foxparke Honk Honk 3. Busy Again 4. Baroness Ava 5. Silver Dream 6. Sportsman 14 Ran Time 27.12
- Maidens – 1. Hey Mac 2. Lucky Moon 3. Croft Lass 4. Peggy Sue 5. Miterdale Green Queen 6. Thorn Thunder 22 Ran Time 28.21
- Pups – 1. Huntsman’s Unite 2. Foxparke Oink Oink 3. Brown Sugar 4. Busy Rascal 5. Zoya 6. Tucker 9 Ran Time 19.54
- Open Restricted – 1. Foxparke Fair Lady 2. Foxparke Sidekick 3. Meadow Artisan 4. Glamorous Ava 5. Duchess Ava 6. Huntsman’s Sparkle 31 Ran Time 19.30
