The HRA returned to St Helena last night for the third meeting and over the three different grades there were 44 entries.
Nine of those were in the seniors and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s pair of Let It Be and I Am It led out of the first field closely followed by Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Hey Mac.
The hounds are then seen going over the first road and past the field where Hey Mac had a five-yard lead over Let It Be and James and Ava McLellan’s pair of Baroness Ava and Countess Ava.
The hounds are usually seen on the back fell but due to the mist visibility was limited on where they drop out of the woods, however reports came in from Uldale bottoms that Hey Mac was still leading the race ahead of Baroness Ava and I Am It with a gap to Countess Ava and Let It Be.
Once onto the finish Caroline Clough’s Snowfell, which had never been mentioned, had come from off the pace to get away and claim the win over Neil, Gillian, Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Dundee, another which had clearly made ground in the closing stages.
Baroness Ava was third and Let It Be fourth ahead of Countess Ava and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Moon.
The pups had 13 taking part and it was Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Is It It who led them out of the first field and over the lonning, closely followed by Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable and Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s Azalia.
About three minutes later Is It It was still leading with Fable and James and Ava McLellan’s Ava Jean challenging.
Reports came in from Uldale bottoms again where Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot was leading with Ava Jean and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s pair of What Is It and Is It It and then a small gap to Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia.
The visibility was still reduced on the back fell so the hounds weren’t seen till they dropped down out of the woods where Acacia had gone to the front with an advantage over kennel mate Azalia and Fable in third.
Once they appeared onto the finish Acacia still had a small advantage and she went on well to claim her fourth win of the season over kennel and littermate Azalia.
What Is It was third ahead of Fable while they were followed in by Ava Jean and Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot.
The final race of the night was for the All-In with a line-up of 22 and once slipped Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lad led them out of the first field and over the lonning.
Going through the field after about four minutes running they were hard to make out due to the way the rain was coming down. All that could be seen was a long line of hounds racing on well.
Fortunately the mist had lifted on the back fell making the hounds visible and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s pair of Foxparke Honk Honk and Foxparke Beep Beep were leading ahead of Paul Airey, Joanne, Sophie and Lauren Hodgson’s Meadow Artisan and Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker.
Once they dropped out of the woods Meadow Artisan was just slightly in front of Foxparke Honk Honk and Foxparke Beep Beep with a small gap to Blue Striker.
When they appeared onto the finish, Blue Striker, Foxparke Honk Honk and Meadow Artisan were the leading trio heading for the line.
But it was Foxparke Honk Honk, who had won twice previously in senior races this season, finished best to win from Blue Striker and Meadow Artisan.
Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky finished in fourth with the last two tickets going to the Foxparke pair of Sassy Girl and Sidekick.
Racing resumes tomorrow, Thursday April 16, at Oulton for a four grade meeting (Seniors, Pups, Open Non Winners and All-In) with the seniors slipped at 5.30pm.
Tuesday April 14 – St Helena
- Hounds – 1. Snowfell; 2. Dundee; 3. Baroness Ava; 4. Let It B;e 5. Countess Ava; 6. Lucky Moon. 9 ran, time 29.45.
- Pups – 1. Acacia; 2. Azalia; 3. What Is It; 4. Fable; 5. Ava Jean; 6. Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot. 13 ran, time 20.13.
- All In – 1. Foxparke Honk Honk; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Meadow Artisan; 4. Miss Becky; 5. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 6. Foxparke Side Kick. 22 ran, time 20.03.
