Thursday saw a three-race meeting take place at Millstone Moor.
Both championship titles are still to be decided, with only just over two weeks left of the season.
The senior race started the programme with eight hounds. Silver Dream for Julie and Darren McMaster and Anthony Skelton was sent off as favourite.
Connections were looking for her to extend her current winning run having been successful in her previous five races round Dearham and Seaton.
Most competition was expected to come from the Foxparke team for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler and from the inform Millie’s Lass for George McGimpsey and Gillian and Millie Telford.
Once slipped they go out of sight and travel down and round Wardhall then they come back into view as they head towards Bridekirk.
It was Silver Dream, Foxparke Honk Honk and Foxparke Fairlady who had a slight advantage over Millie’s Lass in fourth place followed by Thorn Heart for Colin Satterthwaite with Busy Again a little way back for Alan Blacklock and Carole Harrison.
The hounds remained in the same order as they went round the Bridekirk end of the trail and then once back on the long run up to the finish it was the same three hounds that were racing well together.
Then came the long climb up which is testing for the hounds at any time but at the end of a long season the hounds did well to run on.
Silver Dream just managed to hold on by a short length to take her sixth win on the trot and to extend her lead to five points now from Sportsman.
Foxparke Honk Honk looked as though she was going to come and take the win but the line came too soon for her so she had to settle for second place with Foxparke Fairlady staying on well for third place.
There was a slight gap to fourth hound Millie’s Lass and then Thorn Heart in fifth place. Busy Again took the final ticket.
The open pups also had a slip of eight hounds and after their win in the seniors, the winning Dearham kennel was looking for a similar performance from Tucker.
He was three places behind Delta Fortune in the race for the title.
Delta Fortune was also running also but was in the care of Lee Wall with owner Sarah Harper on her travels with her husband who was taking part in a competition in Australia. Tucker was the odds on favourite but as they slipped Delta Fortune and two other hounds ran wide of the trail and put themselves out of the race right at the start.
Once back in to view it was Tucker who was leading as they went down towards Bridekirk with Foxparke Oink Oink in second place for team Foxparke, then Jenny’s Chance for Denise and Jenny Bland and Graham Little.
Busy Rascal for Alan Blacklock and Carole Harrison was close behind.
The positions didn’t change as they went round Bridekirk and came back on to the finish. On the climb up it was Tucker who had a few yards advantage as they cleared the last gate and he maintained this lead up to the line to claim the win and move just two points behind Delta Fortune.
In second place was Jenny’s Chance who stayed on well followed by Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It in third place. Busy Rascal finished in fourth place with Foxparke Oink Oink in fifth while Huntsman’s Unite finished in sixth, having made up a lot of ground after putting herself out of the race at the start.
The last race of the day was the open maiden race, again with a slip of eight runners. Malcolm Holmes’ Senorita was sent off as the favourite.
As they ran down towards Bridekirk it was Thorn Thunder for Martin, Molly and Teddy Burrow leading, followed by Senorita, Foxparke Whoosh and Foxparke Majesty.
It was the same four hounds as they showed onto the finish but it was Foxparke Majesty who pulled away and crossed the line by a couple of lengths from Senorita and then Thorn Thunder.
Foxparke Whoosh finished in fourth place with Eagle Rock for Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgina Bryden running on well in fifth. Martin, Molly, and Teddy Burrows’ Thorn Bee took the last ticket.
Racing moves to Uldale tomorrow with Sportsman likely to be running. There will be a five race meeting, starting at 12.30pm.
October 16 – Millstone Moor
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Foxparke Honk Honk; 3. Foxparke Fairlady; 4. Millie’s Lass; 5. Thorn Heart; 6. Busy Again. 8 ran, time 26.52.
- Pups – 1. Tucker; 2. Jenny’s Chance; 3. I Am It; 4. Busy Rascal; 5. Foxparke Oink Oink; 6. Huntsman’s Unite. 8 ran, time 16.51.
- Open Maiden – 1. Foxparke Majesty; 2. Senorita; 3. Thorn Thunder; 4. Foxparke Whoosh; 5. Eagle Rock; 6. Thorn Bee. 8 ran, time 17.19.
