Two local kennels had particularly good results from last night’s HRA meeting at St Helena when 38 hounds turned out.
James and Ava McClellan started proceedings with first and third in the senior race and then Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green took first and second in the pups.
There were six in the opening senior race with the McClellan Baroness Ava sent off as favourite.
Going out of the first field Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It was leading and setting an early pace, closely followed by Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Moon.
The hounds are then seen going over the first road and going past the field where two kennel and littermates Countess Ava and Baroness Ava were racing on well ahead of Caroline Clough and the late Barry Laidler’s Snowfell with I Am It in fourth.
The hounds are then seen going away from the field after roughly eight minutes where the same four hounds were going well at the front.
Reports came in from the puppy split that Snowfell had taken the lead from Baroness Ava but once the hounds came into sight on the back fell the two kennelmates were back at the head of affairs.
It had changed again when they came back into sight dropping out of the woods and Snowfell was leading from Countess Ava, and Baroness Ava and I Am It.
Onto the finish Snowfell had a 10-yard lead but Countess Ava finished really well to claim her first win of the season from Snowfell.
Baroness Ava took third from I Am It ahead of Lucky Moon and kennelmate Lucky Lottie.
The pups had 13 entries and Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia was sent off the favourite.
Going out of the first field and over the lonning, kennel and littermates Acacia and Azalia were leading from Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Is It It.
After three minutes running Azalia and Acacia were leading from Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler, Neil Brady, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot and her littermate Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It.
Reports from the top of Dent fell confirmed that Acacia and Azalia had established a 30-second lead and were going well ahead of Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley and Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable.
The hounds then came back into sight on the back fell where Acacia and Azalia were still leading but now in behind were Fable and What Is It.
Dropping out of the wood the two leaders had extended their advantage over Fable and What Is It and on the finish Azalia finished best to win from her kennel and littermate (Lucky Lottie/Miterdale Steele) Acacia with a gap to Fable in third and What Is It in fourth.
He was ahead of his two littermates (Adele/Best Mate) Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot and Bewley.
The final race of the evening was the All-In with 19 taking part, and it was Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson’s two kennel and litter mates Nellie’s Joy and Nellie’s Pride who led them out ahead of Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Let It Be.
When they were seen leter going through the back fell Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Honk Honk was leading ahead of Let It Be and Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker.
Once they dropped out of the woods Foxparke Honk Honk was still leading ahead of Blue Striker and Let It Be.
When they appeared on the finish Foxparke Honk Honk finished well to claim the win ahead of Blue Striker and Let It Be.
Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Oink Oink finished in fourth ahead of her two kennelmates Foxparke Beep Beep and Foxparke Fairlady.
Racing resumes tonight at West Woodburn for a four-grade meeting (Seniors, Pups, Open Maiden, All In) with the seniors slipped at 5pm.
Monday April 20 – St Helena
- Hounds – 1. Countess Ava; 2. Snowfell; 3. Baroness Ava; 4. I Am It; 5. Lucky Moon; 6. Lucky Lottie. 6 ran, time 29.30.
- Pups – 1. Azalia; 2. Acacia; 3. Fable; 4. What Is It; 5. Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot; 6. Bewley. 13 ran, time 19.42.
- All-In – 1. Foxparke Honk Honk; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Let It Be; 4. Foxparke Oink Oink; 5. Foxparke Beep Beep; 6. Foxparke Fairlady. 19 ran, time 19.51.
