Sunday saw the first in a series of trails at Shap. Running conditions were perfect for the hounds, if a little wet at times for the owners and punters.
The senior hounds were first to run with a relatively small slip of nine hounds. Sportsman was favourite as they lined up but Silver Dream was also running and connections were looking for her to repeat her win at the venue this time last year.
She managed to get the upper hand on Sportsman who only managed third place on that occasion.
As the hounds showed on the fell top there was a long line of hounds together. Then they weaved their way down the fell towards the finishing line and the leading position kept changing as the hounds looked for the easiest way down.
Once they hit clear ground it was Sportsman who just did enough for Willie, Daphne and Craig Mark to take the win from a fast finishing Embrace for Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney.
In third place, not too far behind, was Hey Mac for Neil and Gillian Brown and Derek and Joel Bulman.
Silver Dream finished in fourth place for Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton with Flightline in fifth for Ashley Horn and Sarah White.
Croft Lass for Stanley, Carol and Sarah Jackson, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson finished in sixth place.
The win for Sportsman takes him to 11 wins, five behind Silver Dream in the championship.
The senior maidens were next with a slip of 13. The race was a fairly open one and Senorita for Malcolm Holmes was sent off as favourite.
As with the seniors, once they showed at the top of the fell there was a long line of hounds with two hundred yards splitting the first group and the last ones.
They weaved their way down and once in to the clear it was Christopher Henderson’s and Frank Dockeray’s Light Up that finished really well to take the win three or four yards clear of Dundee in second place for Neil and Gillian Brown and Derek and Joel Bulman.
In third place was the favourite Malcolm Holmes’ Senorita with George Burgon and Carol Tunstall’s Tallulah in fourth place. Gillian was having a good day as her and Mickey O’Brien’s Peggy Sue finished in fifth place with the last ticket in the maidens going to George and Carol’s other hound Mr Mally.
Next to go were the open pups with a slip of nine. Delta Fortune was the favourite with connections looking to extend his lead in the puppy championship.
There isn’t much that can beat him at the moment and is sitting with 15 wins with his nearest rival Huntsman’s Unite on eight wins.
Once back on the finish it was a good race between Delta Fortune for Sarah and Baz Harper and Hartley Robinson and Affirmation for Laura Steele, Andrew Bulman and Gary Woodend. Delta Fortune just got up in the end for his 17th win of the season.
Tucker for Nicola McMaster and Anthony Skelton finished in third place with Spring Gardener staying on well to get fourth place for Jenny Horn, Ronnie Ridley and Ashley and Aron Horn, Chapel Lad claimed fifth ticket with Lee, Haley, Joey and George Wall, Sandra Mordue and Teddy Storrow’s Denton Phantom taking the sixth ticket.
The last race of the day was the open restricted as the weather took a turn for the worse and the rain came down.
Twenty-three hounds took.
Once on the finish it was Ian Donaldson’s Huntsman’s Quartz who pulled away from the leading group and finished strongly to win.
It was close for second place with Lily for Barbara and Geoff Jones and Stephen Walker’s getting the verdict, with Tesla for Shaun and Donna Hetherington having to settle for third place. Overwater Hunter for George and Carol finished in fourth place with Summer Spirit for Willie and Daphne Mark taking fifth place and the last ticket of the day going to Tracey, Carolynn and Derek Hill’s Milo Moon.
Shap – July 20
- Hounds – 1. Sportsman; 2. Embrace; 3. Hey Mac; 4. Silver Dream; 5. Flightline; 6. Croft Lass. 9 ran, time 32.31.
- Maidens – 1. Light Up; 2. Dundee; 3. Senorita; 4. Tallulah; 5. Peggy Sue; 6. Mr Mally. 13 ran, time 36.01.
- Pups – 1. Delta Fortune; 2. Affirmation; 3. Tucker; 4. Spring Gardener; 5. Chapel Lad; 6. Denton Phantom. 9 ran, time 21.50.
- Open Restricted – 1. Huntsman’s Quartz; 2. Lily; 3. Tesla; 4. Overwater Hunter; 5. Summer Spirit; 6. Milo Moon. 23 ran, time 20.58.
