There was only one March meeting last week due to Kirkland and St Helena both being cancelled.
It was a three-grade meeting at Grassings, the third and final time a trial has been held there this pre-season.
The pups were first to slip with a line-up of 13 with the successful Dearham kennel of Joe Abram, Darren and Nicola McMaster having won the previous two with different youngsters.
Unfortunately the hounds can’t be seen once they are slipped until they are onto the finish and when they did appear it was two kennel mates leading.
Darren and Julie McMaster and Sadie Wilson’s Tartan Raider and Nicola McMaster and Barbara Telford’s Rodney Ranger.
After a good race to the line Rodney Ranger got up to claim the win by half a length from Tartan Raider with George McGimpsy, and Gillian, Millie and Charlie Telford’s Charlie’s Dream in third.
The seniors were next to go and they had the largest line-up of the day with 21 at the slip.
As they came into sight on the finish, 2025 Puppy Champion Delta Fortune for Sarah and Baz Harper and the late Hartley Robinson had a small advantage and went on to claim the win by three lengths over the 2024 and 2025 senior champion Silver Dream for Darren and Julie and Anthony Skelton.
George, Gillian and Millie’s Millie’s Lass was in third.
The All-In had a slip of 17 and once they appeared onto the finish Thorn Soul for Martin, Molly and Teddy Burrows and Sarah Jackson had a nice advantage and went on to win by four lengths from her kennel mate, Thorn Daisy who is actually a pup. Mel, for Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier, was in third.
Grassings – March 10
- Pups : 1. Rodney Ranger; 2. Tartan Raider; 3. Charlie’s Pride.13 ran, time 9.04.
- Hounds: 1. Delta Fortune; 2. Silver Dream; 3. Millie’s Lass. 21 ran, time 8.38.
- All-In: 1. Thorn Soul; 2. Thorn Daisey; 3. Mel. 17 ran, time 8.31.
Upcoming trials
Sunday March 22: St Helena full puppy race P, H, AI (noon) and Oulton full puppy race P, H, AI (2pm)
Saturday March 28: Oulton full puppy race P, H, AI (2pm)
Championship races
- Wednesday April 1: St Helena – H, P, AI (5.15pm)
- Saturday April 4: Low Place – H, P, OM, AI (1pm)
- Sunday April 5: Oulton – H, P, OM, OR (2pm)
- Monday April 6: Low Place – H, P, OM, OR (2pm)
- Wednesday April 8: St Helena – H, P, AI (5.30pm)
- Thursday April 9: Oulton – H, P, OM (5pm)
- Saturday April 11: Low Place – H, P, OM, V (1pm)
- Sunday April 12: Oulton – H, P, OM, OR, V (2pm)
- Tuesday April 14: St Helena – H, P, AI (5.45pm)
- Thursday April 16: Oulton- H, P, ONW (5.30pm)
- Saturday April 18: Carlisle and Penrith Area
- Monday April 20: St Helena – H, P, AI (6pm)
- Tuesday April 21: Carlisle and Penrith Area
- Wednesday April 22: St Helena – H, P, AI (6pm)
- Saturday April 25: Whitehaven Classic
- Tuesday April 28: Cockermouth and Workington Area
- Thursday April 30: Cockermouth and Workington Area
