A third successive meeting was staged at Standing Stones on Monday night where 82 hounds turned out in bright and sunny conditions.
Fifteen were entered into the opening senior race where James and Ava McCllelan’s Countess Ava was sent off as the favourite.
Once they were seen climbing up the fell it was Neil and Gillian Brown and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Hey Mac who was leading in company with Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson’s Nellie’s Joy and Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s I Am It.
Dropping down Lank Rigg fell it was Martin and Molly Burrow and Sarah Jackson’s Thorn Soul had taken over from Countess Ava and Hey Mac with a small gap to Denise and Jenny Bland’s Huntsman’s Unite.
Crossing at Red Gill it was Hey Mac who had gone back to the front ahead of Huntsman’s Unite and Countess Ava with Thorn Soul back in fourth.
Into sight on Flat Fell Countess Ava and Thorn Soul had stolen a few yards on Hey Mac and Huntsman’s Unite and they stayed in that order until they appeared onto the finish and provided a great race to the line.
In the end Countess Ava and Thorn Soul were unable to be split with the judge’s decision being a dead-heat.
Hey Mac finished in third with Huntsman’s Unite just managing to hold onto fourth ahead of Stanley, Carole and Sarah Jackson, David Loan, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson’s fast finishing Croft Lass. The final ticket went to Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Beep Beep.
There were 19 pups entered with Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia was sent off as the favourite and went away really well.
Going over the brow she had the company off Anna and Kerry Lindsay and Janie McAulay’s Zinger but they suffered a scale in the bottoms and once they were seen going through the fell Zinger was leading from Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It and Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley.
Dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill Zinger had stolen a few yards over George McGimpsey, Gillian, Millie and Charlie Telford’s Charlie’s Dream and What Is It.
Back into sight on Flat Fell Charlie’s Dream and Zinger were battling it out at the front ahead of Bewley and What Is It.
Once they came onto the finish five had broken clear and the group was now being led by Bewley. After a great race to the line it was Bewley who continued to finish well to lose his maiden status and claim his first puppy victory of the season ahead of consistent hound Zinger and Charlie’s Dream.
Duncan, Amy, Oliver, Liam, Eleanor Chisholm, Harry Turner and Brian Graham’s Let Me Try Again ran on well for fourth followed by What Is It and Christopher Henderson’s Nash On.
The Open Maidens had the largest field of the night with a line-up of 32 with Colin Satterthwaite’s consistent hound Thorn Pop being sent off as the favourite.
Once they were going over the brow of the hill Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Danny Elliot was leading from Brian, Joy and Cathy Lister’s Minnie Million.
Going through Lank Riff fell it was hard to make out which ones were leading in a good sized bunch but most punters were sure it was Minnie Million and Thorn Pop at the front ahead of Malcolm Holmes’ Senor.
Dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill Thorn Pop was leading from Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Glenis Farren’s Foxparke Cheese and Beans; Senor, Raymond and Glenis Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky and Minnie Million.
Back into sight on Flat Fell Thorn Pop and Foxparke Cheese and Beans were still battling out at the front but Once they appeared onto the finish the pair had been joined by Minnie Million.
When the whistles started Minnie Million found another gear and finished strongly to claim the win over Thorn Pop and Senor. Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside finished in fourth ahead of Foxparke Cheese and Beans and Tanya Satterthwaite’s Pied Piper.
The final race of the night was the Open Restricted with a line up of 16 with Sarah White and Elsie Horn’s Malfunction sent off as the favourite but once they were slipped and going over the brow off the hill it was Lee, Hayley, Joey and George Wall, Sandra Mordue and Ted Storrow’s Denton Phantom who was leading the way.
Coming off the fell and crossing at Red Gill Denton Phantom had a slight lead on Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Darren Clark’s Foxparke Rita’s Rose.
Back into sight on Flat Fell Blue Striker and Cathy, Brian and Joy Lister’s Dream Catcher had established a lead and were battling on well at the front ahead of Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Sassy Girl.
Once onto the finish it was a great race to the line with the judge having to refer to the camera before the verdict was given to Dream Catcher as she just managed to get home and claim a double on the night for the Lister family.
Blue Striker finished second from fast-finishing Foxparke Sassy Girl with kennel mate Foxparke Rita’s Rose in fourth.
Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Rambler was fifth and the final ticket went to Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Waddle Waddle.
May 11 – Standing Stones
- Hounds – 1. Thorn Soul and Countess Ava Dead Heat; 3. Hey Mac; 4. Huntsman’s Unite; 5. Croft Lass; 6. Foxparke Beep Beep. 15 ran, time 29.28.
- Pups – 1. Bewley; 2. Zinger; 3. Charlie’s Dream; 4. Let Me Try Again; 5. What Is It; 6. Nash On. 19 ran, time 20.33.
- Open Maidens – 1. Minnie Million; 2. Thorn Pop; 3. Senor; 4. Heartside; 5. Foxparke Cheese and Beans; 6. Pied Piper. 32 ran, time 19.22.
- Open Restricted – 1. Dream Catcher; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Foxparke Sassy Girl; 4. Foxparke Rita’s Rose; 5. Miterdale Rambler; 6 Foxparke Waddle Waddle. 16 ran, time 19.25.
