Saturday’s HRA programme saw the first of the Low Place series take place where 78 hounds turned out for the four-grade meeting.
The seniors were first to slip with a field of 17. After being slipped they have to jump a wall and climb up towards the fell and after they did clear the first obstacle Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Moon, James and Ava McClellan’s Baroness Ava and Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Hey Mac were leading.
As they climbed higher up Willie and Craig Mark’s Sportsman took the lead from Hey Mac.
The hounds are then usually seen after 15 minutes running going through the back fell but the mist was down so they were unable to be spotted.
As they showed onto the top of the fell and came through the wall gap onto the finish the favourite Foxparke Honk Honk came from fourth place to grab the win from Hey Mac and two kennel mates Baroness Ava and Countess Ava in third and fourth.
Early leader Lucky Moon was fifth and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Let It Be took the last ticket.
The pups were next to go with a slip of 19. Miterdale Sauvage was off to a flying start closely followed by Sarah Jackson, Willie Gill, Lisa Crosby, David Loan, Ricky Deacon and John Grisesdale’s Croft Mist and Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable.
The hounds were then seen on the back fell as the mist had lifted but the hounds were pretty hard to make out but from what punters could make out Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot was leading from two darker hounds which were thought to be Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia and Miterdale Sauvage.
Once they showed onto the top of the finish Acacia had established a comfortable lead over Miterdale Sauvage who in turn had a nice lead over the chasing pack.
As they neared the gap in the wall onto the finish Miterdale Sauvage showed a good turn of foot and came on well to repeat his win from the lookaround two weeks ago by four lengths from Acacia with Ruth and Charlie’s Is It It in third.
There was a good race for the final three tickets with Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Jiggle claiming fourth over her kennel mate Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot and Geoff, Gillian, Jake and Zach’s Azalia taking the final ticket.
The Open Maidens had a slip of 27.
Once they went through the first gate kennel mates for Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler, Foxparke Elliot’s Lad and Foxparke Majesty were leading the race but when they came back into view a minute later they had been joined by Linda Neale, Mark, Georgia and Josh Bryden’s Eagle Rock.
On the back fell two light coloured hounds were seen to be leading. One was made out to be Peggy Sue but many people couldn’t figure out the second hound. These two were closely followed by Malcolm Holmes’ Senor, Eagle Rock and Robyn, Ellie, Grace, Nicola and Brooke’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lass.
As they showed on the top of the fell onto the finish Senor had a small advantage but was being chased down by Foxparke Elliot’s Lass.
When they neared the final jump at the gap in the wall the 8/1 shot Foxparke Elliot’s Lass showed a good turn off foot to go on and win ahead of her kennel mate Foxparke Whoosh to give the team first and second and a winning double on the day.
Derrick, Carolyn and Tracey Hill’s Maggie Moon finished well in third and the favourite Peggy Sue took fourth, Senor had to settle for fifth and the final ticket went to Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky.
The final race of the day was the All-in with a slip of 17 and going through the first gate Jim, Anne, Alan and Adrian Little’s Huntsman’s Quantum went out well ahead of Jonty and Evie Moore and Jackson Thompson’s two kennel and littermates Nellie’s Joy and Nellie’s Pride.
When they came back into sight a minute later Huntsman’s Quantum was still leading ahead of Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Fairlady.
They were next seen on the back fell where it was Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s two kennel mates Foxparke Oink Oink and Foxparke Fairlady who had established a nice lead on Huntsman’s Quantum.
When they showed on top of the fell Foxparke Fairlady was slightly ahead of Foxparke Oink Oink and Huntsman’s Quantum.
But further down the fell Huntsman’s Quantum dropped really well and gained a lead before coming on smartly to claim the win. Foxparke Fairlady and Foxparke Oink Oink were second and third to round off a great day for Team Foxparke.
Willie and Craig Mark’s Summer Spirit finished in fourth; Nellie’s Joy was fifth with the final ticket of the day going to Stuart Smith’s Prospect Jan.
Saturday April 4 – Low Place
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Honk Honk; 2. Hey Mac; 3. Baroness Ava; 4. Countess Ava; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Let It Be. 15 ran, time 27.33.
- Pups – 1. Miterdale Savauge; 2. Acacia; 3. Is It It; 4. Foxparke Jiggle; 5. Foxparke Jubilee Jackpot; 6. Azalia. 19 ran, time 18.58.
- Open Maiden – 1. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 2. Foxparke Whoosh; 3. Maggie Moon; 4. Peggy Sue; 5. Senor; 6. Miss Becky. 27 ran, time 18.51.
- All-In – 1. Huntsman’s Quantum; 2. Foxparke Fair Lady; 3. Foxparke Oink Oink; 4. Summer Spirit; 5. Nellie’s Joy; 6. Prospect Jan. 17 ran, time 18.51
