The first meeting at the new Standing Stones venue was called off at the weekend due to foggy conditions.
When they tried again last night it was bright and sunny and the promoters were rewarded with a commendable entry of 105 hounds for the four races on offer.
Twenty of those were in the opening race for the Seniors, where Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier’s Mel and James and Ava McClellan’s Baroness Ava were sent off as joint favourites.
Climbing up the fell Jonty, and Evie Moore and Jack Thomson’s Nellie’s Joy was off positively in the company of Baroness Ava and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It.
The hounds are then seen again dropping down off the fell after roughly 20 minutes racing where a lighter hound which left punters unsure was leading from Baroness Ava, and the pair had about 20 yards on the leading hounds.
The hounds then came back into sight crossing the road and dropping down the side off the woods with Mel leading ahead of Baroness Ava and I Am It.
Before the hounds showed onto the finish they are seen going through the fell and Baroness Ava and Mel had extended their lead over Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s pair of Foxparke Fairlady and Foxparke Sidekick.
Once they showed onto the finish it was a good race to the line with Baroness Ava just managing to give one final push to claim the win by a head over Mel with a small gap to I Am It in third.
Martin, Molly and Teddy Burrow and Sarah Jackson’s Thorn Soul finished in fourth with the final two tickets going to Foxparke Fairlady and Foxparke Sidekick.
There was a line up of 27 for the pups with Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia sent off as favourite.
Going over the brow of the hill Acacia was leading from Anna and Kerry Lindsay and Janie McAulay’s Zinger.
Going through the fell most of the hounds were all together so they were difficult to make out but it was a great view for the watching spectators.
Crossing the next road Christine Brownlee and Eric Cockbain’s Merle was leading with Acacia and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It.
Once they appeared onto the finish three had developed a small advantage with the group being led by What Is It and Merle.
It was a good race to the line but Merle finished well to claim her first puppy victory of the season ahead of What Is It and the favourite Acacia in third.
Ian Fleet’s Chapel Queen ran on well for fourth ahead of Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Sauvage. The final ticket went to Zinger.
The Open Maidens had a line-up of 25 with Tracey, Carolyn and Derrick Hill’s Maggie Moon sent off as favourite.
Once slipped, Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Danny Elliot was off to a flying start ahead of Raymond and Glenis Farren’s Miss Becky.
Going through the back fell mostly all of the hounds were together again making them difficult to pick out.
The hounds are then seen going over the road where they had a scale and a lot put themselves out of the race but Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Glenis Farren’s Foxparke Cheese and Beans took the opportunity and was now leading with Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside and Miss Becky.
Coming onto the finish Miss Becky looked as though she was going to come and win but was denied in the final stages by the fast finishing Sarah White and Elsie Horn’s Flightline who claimed the win by a head. Heartside was second with Miss Becky in third.
Foxparke Cheese and Beans finished fourth ahead of Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson’s Nellie’s Pride and Malcolm Holmes’ Senor.
The final race of the night was for the Open Restricted with a line up off 23 with James and Ava McClellan’s Duchess Ava fancied to complete a double for the team.
Going through the back fell the hounds were racing on nicely. Crossing the road Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker was leading from Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney’s Embrace and Jenny Horn’s Spring Return.
Onto the finish Spring Return and Duchess Ava had gained a small lead and had a great battle to the line.
In the end Spring Return just managed to hold on by half a length with Malcolm Holmes’ Sir Robert in third.
The minor tickets went to Blue Striker, Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lass and Christine Brownlee’s Malia.
May 6 – Standing Stones
- Hounds – 1. Baroness Ava; 2. Mel; 3. I Am It; 4. Thorn Soul; 5. Foxparke Fairlady; 6. Foxparke Sidekick. 20 ran, time 32.00.
- Pups – 1. Merle; 2. What Is It; 3. Acacia; 4. Chapel Queen; 5. Miterdale Sauvage; 6. Zinger. 27 ran, time 22.45.
- Open Maiden – 1. Flightline; 2. Heartside; 3. Miss Becky; 4. Foxparke Cheese and Beans; 5. Nellie’s Pride; 6. Senor. 35 ran, time 22.35.
- Open Restricted – 1. Spring Return; 2. Duchess Ava; 3. Sir Robert; 4. Blue Striker; 5. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 6. Malia. 23 ran, time 21.45.
