The 2026 HRA Championship season is up and running after the opening meeting took place at St Helena.
There were 60 hounds competing on the night across three grades – seniors, pips and all-in.
The weather to start with was cold and wet, with a bit of fog but 15 seniors were slipped for the first race of the night.
Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier’s Mel was expected to run well as she has solid form at the venue, having won twice in four visits last year.
Once slipped the hounds aren’t seen until they are crossing the first road and going past the field.
Leading the way was James and Ava McClellan’s Countess Ava who had a five-yard lead on Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Hey Mac, along with James and Ava’s other hound Baroness Ava and Caroline Clough’s Snowfell.
The hounds are seen again roughly five minutes later and Mel was now leading from Hey Mac and Baroness Ava with a minute gap to the chasing hounds who were being led by Snowfell.
The next reports came in from the puppy split where Mel had climbed up the fell well and had established a nice lead on Baroness Ava, who in turn had a nice advantage over Hey Mac. This leading trio seemd seemed to be travelling nicely.
The hounds then should have been visible on the back fell but due to the fog trainers weren’t able to see them until they dropped out of the forest and Mel was still leading with Baroness Ava trying hard to close the gap.
As they appeared the finish Mel had broken away again and finished well to win from Baroness Ava with a small gap to Hey Mac and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It, currently being trained by Gary Byers. He’s a pup from last year so he had ran a cracking race. Snowfell finished in fifth and Geoff Higgins’ Lucky Moon was sixth.
The pups had a nice entry of 20 and fortunately the weather had dried up with the visibility improved.
Once they had been slipped they then have to cross a lonning and Stephen Riley and Isla Hetheringtons Fable was first over with Robyn, Ellie, Grace, and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Wanderer.
The hounds are then seen after roughly two minutes running going through the fields and four were battling it out at the front- James and Ava’s Ava Jean, Fable, Ruth and Charlie’s Is It It and Robyn, Ellie, Grace, and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot.
The hounds are then seen going through the back fell and Ava Jean was leading with Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Greens Azalia.
The pair had a 100-yard lead on the chasing pack which was being headed by Foxparke Wanderer and Fable.
They then came back into sight coming out of the forest and Ava Jean was still leading with Azalia, but she ran left putting herself out of the race. As they appeared the finish Ava Jean was still leading from Fable.
As the whistles were put on Ava Jean finished well to take the win from fast finishing Fable with Ruth and Charlie’s What Is It in third.
Azalia had recovered to take fourth with Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Invictus in fifth and Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley in sixth.
The final race of the night was the All-in with a slip of 25. Once away and crossing the lonning Jonty and Evie Moore, and Jack Thompson’s Nellie’s Pride was first over with Gillian Brown and Mickey O’Brien’s Peggy Sue.
The hounds are then seen after two minutes running and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Honk Honk was leading ahead of Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker.
Onto the back fell Foxparke Honk Honk was seen still leading but from Blue Striker and Peggy Sue with Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lass in fourth.
As they dropped down through the forest and back into sight Foxparke Honk Honk and Blue Striker were battling it out at the front and going well.
When they appeared onto the finish Foxparke Honk Honk jumped the final hurdle in front but Peggy Sue showed a good turn off foot to grab the win from Foxparke Honk Honk and Blue Striker.
Foxparke Elliot’s Lass was fourth; Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Rambler took fifth and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butlers Foxparke Whoosh claimed the last ticket.
St Helena – Wednesday April 1
- Seniors: 1. Mel; 2. Baroness Ava; 3. Hey Mac; 4. I Am It; 5. Snowfell; 6. Lucky Moon. 15 ran, time 27.59.
- Pups: 1. Ava Jean; 2. Fable; 3. What Is It; 4. Azalia; 5. Miterdale Invictus; 6. Bewley. 20 ran, time 22.20.
- All-in: 1. Peggy Sue; 2. Foxparke Honk Honk; 3. Blue Striker; 4. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 5. Miterdale Rambler; 6. Foxparke Whoosh. 25 ran, time
