The third in the early season series of races at Low Place today staged four grades and 58 hounds contested them.
The seniors had a slip of 18, with Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Honk Honk sent off the favourite after winning the previous two in the Low Place series.
Once the hounds are underway they have to jump a wall and climb up the fell out of sight.
First over the wall was Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Let It Be and Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derrick Bulman and Mickey O’Brien’s two kennel mates Hey Mac and Peggy Sue.
As they climbed further up the fell Let It Be and Hey Mac had been joined by Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Moon and these three were battling on nicely at the front when they went out of sight.
Reports came in from the puppy split that Foxparke Honk Honk had made up frond and had joined Hey Mac, with the pair opening up a lead of 200 yards lead on the chasing hounds. This group was being led by Peggy Sue and Lucky Moon with a small gap to Let It Be.
The hounds are then seen going through the fell after roughly 20 minutes running and Foxparke Honk Honk and Hey Mac were still out at the front and still had an advantage over the chasing hounds, which had now been joined by Sophie Steele, and Jake and Zach Green’s Miterdale Green Queen.
Once they appeared over the top of the fell onto the finish Foxparke Honk Honk had a 20-yard lead and dropped down well to claim her third win of the season, which took her to the top of the senior championship table.
Hey Mac finished well in second ahead of Lucky Moon, Peggy Sue, Miterdale Green Queen and Let It Be.
The Pups went off with 12 slipped and Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ and Jake and Zach Green’s in-form Acacia was favourite to continue her good start to the season.
From the start the youngsters have to go through a gateway and turn left, and as they did so Acacia and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Is It It were the early leaders ahead of Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Whoop Whoop.
They are then seen roughly about a minute later before they go into the bottoms and Acacia had a small lead over Is It It and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgsons Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot.
The hounds are then seen climbing out of the bottoms and Acacia was still leading ahead of Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot and Is It It.
After roughly 13 minutes running the hounds come back into sight going through the back fell where Acacia and Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot had established an advantage over the chasers who were now being led by Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It.
When they appeared over the top of the fell onto the finish Acacia had a ten-yard lead on Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot, who in turn had 50 yards on the rest.
As the pair raced down to the finish Acacia stayed out in front with her lead reduced to four lengths as she crossed the line for her third win of the season.
Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot and What Is It finished second and third with the winner’s kennel mate Azalia taking fourth, and also winning the £50 prize for the most points over the Low Place Meetings.
Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable finished in fifth and the final ticket went to Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie, and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Invictus.
The next race was for the open maidens with an entry of 18 including last week’s winner Carolyn, Tracey and Derrick Hill’s Maggie Moon who was sent off joint favourite with Neil, Gillian, Joel and Derrick’s Dundee.
Going through the early gateway Robyn, Ellie, Grace, Nicola, Neil and Brooke’s three kennel mates Foxparke Elliot’s Lad, Foxparke Danny Elliot and Foxparke Majesty were off to a flying start and having a good race between themselves.
Just before going into the bottoms Dundee was seen to be leading with Foxparke Danny Elliot and Foxparke Elliot’s Lad. Coming out of the bottoms and climbing the fell Dundee was setting a good pace ahead of Foxparke Danny Elliot.
The hounds were briefly seen when they first came back into sight on the back fell where a lighter hound, which was later established to be Foxparke Danny Elliot, had taken the lead from Dundee.
Unfortunately for connections Dundee made a miss and put a circle in to lose a bit of ground before joining back in with the other hounds.
As they climbed out of sight Maggie Moon had taken the lead from Foxparke Danny Elliot and Malcolm Holmes’ Senor had moved into contention.
Once they showed over the top Maggie Moon was still leading from Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky and Senor with a gap to Foxparke Elliot’s Lass in fourth.
As they jumped through the wall gap onto the finish Maggie Moon had the race won but she tripped leaving the fast-finishing Foxparke Elliot’s Lass to come through and claim the win and land another double for Team Foxparke.
Miss Becky took second from Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside while Maggie Moon recovered well and claimed fourth ahead of Senor and Foxparke Elliot’s Lad.
The final race of the day was the first Veterans trail of the season which had 10 entries.
Jim, Ann, Alan and Adrian’s Huntsman’s Quantum was sent off as the favourite given his reputation around the venue.
Right from the off he was leading the way and as they went out of sight he was still blazing a trail at the front.
When they were seen going through the fell Huntsman’s Quantum had about 20 yards on Linda Neale, Mark, Josh and Georgia Bryden’s Eagle Rock with another gap to John Lyon’s Black Eyed Shadow.
On the top of the fell onto the finish, however, Black Eyed Shadow had got away and went on well to win from Huntsman’s Quantum and Eagle Rock.
Willie and Craig Mark’s Summer Spirit finished in fourth with Denis Peare and Jackie Gill’s 2024 and 2025 Veteran Champion Miterdale Duchess in fifth.
The final ticket went to Michael Watson’s Persian Gold.
Racing resumes at Oulton tomorrow for a five-race card (Seniors, Pups, Open Maidens, Open Restricted and Veterans) with the seniors slipped at 2pm.
Low Place – Saturday April 11
- Hounds – 1. Foxparke Honk Honk; 2. Hey Mac; 3. Lucky Moon; 4. Peggy Sue; 5. Miterdale Green Queen; 6. Let It Be. 18 ran, time 26.55.
- Pups – 1. Acacia; 2. Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot; 3. What Is It; 4. Azalia; 5. Fable; 6. Miterdale Invictus. 12 ran, time 18.15.
- Open Maidens – 1. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 2. Miss Becky; 3. Heartside; 4. Maggie Moon; 5. Senor; 6. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad. 18 ran, time 18.13.
- Veterans – 1. Black Eyed Shadow; 2. Huntsman’s Quantum; 3. Eagle Rock; 4. Summer Spirit; 5. Miterdale Duchess; 6. Persion Gold. 10 ran, time 18.05.
