Bank Holiday Monday staged the traditional May Day races, the first of the major meetings put on by the HRA.
There were six different grades to tempt owners and trainers with 85 entered for them.
Only nine went in the opening senior race and as expected Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton’s Silver Dream was the favourite.
Going over the hill and out of sight Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier’s Mel was leading ahead of Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It with Silver Dream in third.
The hounds are then seen going through the fields passed the spectators where Mel has gained a 50-yard advantage over Silver Dream with a gap to James and Ava McCllelan’s Countess Ava another gap to Denise and Jenny Bland and Ella and Kyle Gallacher’s Jenny’s Chance.
The hounds are briefly seen before they come onto the finish and Silver Dream and Mel were neck-and-neck after getting away from the others.
Coming out of the beck and onto the finish the pair were battling well but as they neared the line Silver Dream, as always, showed that extra zip to get there first and beat Mel by two lengths.
There was a gap to Countess Ava and I Am It with Jennys Chance in fifth and the final ticket went to Sophie Steele, Jake and Zach Green’s Miterdale Green Queen.
The Senior Maidens had 16 runners with Colin Satterthwaite’s Thorn Heart sent off as favourite.
Once slipped and going over the hill out of sight Graham Reid’s Money Talks was off to a flyer ahead off Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lad and Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Moon.
Going past the spectators, Darren McMaster, Sadie Wilson and Anthony Skelton’s Silver Streak was leading from Stanley, Carole, and Sarah Jackson, David Loan, Donald Hodgson and Ricky Deacon’s Croft Lass with Nicola McMaster and Sadie Wilson’s Sarah Jane in third.
Neil and Gillian Brown, and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Dundee was also in touch but dropping down before they come onto the finish and go into the beck four had established a small lead.
Silver Streak was leading from her kennel mate Sarah Jane with Croft Lass in third, followed by Foxparke Whoosh.
Once they came out of the beck and onto the finish Silver Streak was just about in front of Croft Lass and Sarah Jane. Jumping the final fence and on the home stretch it was the 6/1 shot Silver Streak who finished best to win by three lengths from Croft Lass.
The winner’s kennel mate Sarah Jane finished third ahead of Foxparke Whoosh and then it was Dundee followed by Foxparke Elliot’s Lad who took the last ticket.
There was field of six for the Open Pups and last week’s winner, Christopher Henderson’s Nash On, was sent off as the favourite.
Once on their way Sarah Jackson, Willie Gill, Lisa Crosby, David Loan, Ricky Deacon and John Grisedale’s Croft Mist was leading ahead of Anthony, Stephanie, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Sauvage.
The hounds are seen going through the fields after roughly eight minutes running where Miterdale Sauvage had gone to the front from Sadie, Kessi and Graham Wilson’s Cinderella and Linda Neale and Josh Bryden’s Eagle Grace.
Reports came in from the third road crossing that Cinderella was leading from Miterdale Sauvage and Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable.
Things had changed at the final road crossing where Bash On was leading ahead of Eagle Grace and Cinderella.
Once they appeared onto the finish it was a great race to the line with Cinderella repeating her mother’s win (Silver Streak) after showing fine late speed to go on and win by three lengths and claim a quick treble on the day for Team Dearham ahead of Bash On and Fable.
Eagle Grace finished fourth, followed in by Miterdale Sauvage and Croft Mist.
The puppy maidens had 13 lining up with Christine Brownlee’s Merle going off as favourite.
From the start Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley was setting a good pace ahead of Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Whoop Whoop.
Going through the fields Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady, Brooke Butler, Darren Clark and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot had taken over at the front from Merle and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It.
Reports from the fourth road crossing indicated that Merle was now leading, well ahead of Foxparke Jubilees Jackpot and What Is It.
At the last road crossing Merle’s lead was 10 yards from What Is It and Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot.
Jumping over the final fence on the finish and onto the home stretch Merle kept her lead but at the line only had a length on Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot in second from What Is It in third.
They were followed in by Bewley; Anthony, Stephanie, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Invictus and Laura Steele and Andrew Bulman’s Swifty.
The biggest field was 28 who lined up for the Open Restricted and the hot favourite was James and Ava McCllelan’s Baroness Ava, who set off really well.
She made a flying start ahead of Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney’s Embrace.
Going through in view of the spectators Baroness Ava was leading from Embrace with Sarah White and Elsie Horn’s Malfunction in third.
However reports from the third road crossing suggested Embrace was just at the front ahead of Baroness Ava; Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky; Sarah and Elsie Horn’s We Get By and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Fairlady.
The next message from the final road crossing reported a new leader in Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Beep Beep from Embrace and Baroness Ava.
Jumping the final fence and onto the run to the line Foxparke Beep Beep was still leading but as they were nearly there Baroness Ava showed her finishing ability to get up by a length to beat Foxparke Beep Beep.
Malfunction was third ahead of Embrace while Robyn, Ellie, Grace, and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s pair of Foxparke Oink Oink and Foxparke Fairlady took the last two tickets.
The final race of the day was for the Veterans with a field of 13, and the hot favourite was Linda Neale and Mark, Josh and Georgia Bryden’s Eagle Rock who set off meaning business as they went out of the first field and gateway.
Going though the fields in view of everyone Anthony, Stephanie, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Honesty was leading from Colin Satherthwaite’s consistent hound Thorn Pop and Eagle Rock.
When they showed over the final jump onto the home stretch James and Ava McCllelan’s Duchess Ava came like a train to claim a double on the day for the team ahead of Thorn Pop.
Andy, and Alan Horn and Simon Walker’s Overwater Louie was third and Miterdale Honesty took fourth.
Eagle Rock finished in fifth ahead of John Lyon’s Black Eyed Shadow.
Monday May 4 – May Day Races, Gamelsby
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Mel; 3. Countess Ava; 4. I Am It; 5. Jenny’s Chance; 6. Miterdale Green Queen. 9 ran, time 26.14.
- Maidens – 1. Silver Streak; 2. Croft Lass; 3. Sarah Jane; 4. Foxparke Whoosh; 5. Dundee; 6. Foxparke Elliot’s Lad. 16 ran, time 27.24.
- Pups – 1. Cinderella; 2. Nash On; 3. Fable; 4. Eagle Grace; 5. Miterdale Sauvage; 6. Croft Mist. 6 ran, time 18.11.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Merle; 2. Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot; 3. What Is It; 4. Bewley; 5. Miterdale Invictus; 6. Swifty. 13 ran, time 17.35.
- Open Restricted – 1. Baroness Ava; 2. Foxparke Beep Beep; 3. Malfunction; 4. Embrace; 5. Foxparke Oink Oink; 6. Foxparke Fairlady. 28 ran, time 17.58.
- Veterans – 1. Duchess Ava; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Overwater Louie; 4. Miterdale Honesty; 5. Eagle Rock; 6. Black Eyed Shadow. 13 ran.
