The fifth and final meeting in the series of races at Standing Stones last night saw 64 hounds contest the four grades on offer.
Fifteen were at the slip for the opening seniors race where James and Ava McClellan’s Baroness Ava was sent off the favourite.
Crossing the first road and climbing up the fell Jonty and Evie Moore and Jack Thompson’s Nellie’s Joy was to the fore with company from Neil and Gillian Brown and Joel and Derrick Bulman’s Hey Mac and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Donald Hodgson’s Foxparke Oink Oink.
The hounds come back into sight dropping down Lank Rigg fell where Baroness Ava was leading ahead but as they dropped further and out of sight Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Honk Honk hit the front.
Dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill Foxparke Honk Honk was still leading with the company off Baroness Ava and Tracey, Carolyn and Derrick Hill’s Maggie Moon and a small gap to Foxparke Oink Oink.
Back into sight on Flat Fell a group of nine had established an advantage with the group being led by Maggie Moon and Baroness Ava.
Once onto the finish things started to change and Foxparke Honk Honk went back in front but in the race to the line Baroness Ava got up for the win by a length over Hey Mac with Stanley, Carole and Sarah Jackson, David Loan, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson’s Croft Lass in third.
Foxparke Honk Honk finished fourth ahead of Maggie Moon and Denise and Jenny Bland and Ella and Kyle Gallagher’s Jennys Chance.
The Pups were next to go with a line up of 11 with the consistent Zinger for Anna and Kerry Lindsay and Janie McAulay sent off as the favourite.
Indeed over of the hill Zinger was leading them out of sight ahead of Christine Brownlee and Eric Cockbain’s Merle.
Back into sight on Lank Rigg fell a darker hound was with them but the first three put in a scale in and lost ground leaving the unidentified darker runner in front with some punters thinking it was Duncan, Amy, Oliver, Liam, Eleanor Chisholm, Harry Turner, Brian Graham’s Let Me Try Again.
Back into sight dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill Let Me Try Again was confirmed as leading in the company off Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley and Ian Rudd, Jake and Zach Green’s pair of Kinniside Nugget and Kinniside Ellie.
Going through Flat Fell Let Me Try Again was still leading and had half a length on Bewley and Kinniside Nugget.
Onto the finish Let Me Try Again kept the advantage but after a great race to the line it was Bewley who claimed the win by half a length for his second puppy victory of the season, having won on Monday.
Let Me Try Again was second ahead of Kinniside Nugget and they were followed in by Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It, Merle and Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Invictus.
The Open Maidens had the largest entry of the night with a line-up of 22 and Monday’s winner, Brian, Joy and Cathy Lister’s Minnie Million was sent off as the favourite.
When they set off and going over the brow of the hill Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Danny Elliot was leading ahead of Malcolm Holmes’ Senor.
When seen again on Lank Rigg fell David Clifford’s Eden Romina had gone to the front from Senor and Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside.
Back into sight dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill, Minnie Million was in the lead with Senor and Gillian Brown and Mickey O’Briens Peggy Sue.
Going through Flat Fell Minnie Million was leading and had a length on Heartside and Senor.
But on the finish Senor was leading and after a great race to the line, Peggy Sue claimed the win by a length from Minnie Million.
Senor had to settle for third ahead of Heartside, Tanya Satterthwaite’s Pied Piper and Tracey, Carolyn and Derrick Hill’s Degsy Moon.
The Open Restricted brought the meeting to a conclusion and 16 of them were sent on their way with Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker the favourite.
Going over the brow of the hill Graham and Les Reid and Ellie Napier’s Brown Sugar was leading ahead of littermate Lee, Hayley, Joey and George Wall, Sandra Mordue and Ted Storrow’s Denton Phantom.
Back into sight on Lank Rigg fell an unidentified light hound – which was later established to have been Christine Brownlee’s Maeve – was leading from Blue Striker.
Back into sight dropping off the fell and crossing at Red Gill it was clearly now Maeve who was leading in the company off Denton Phantom and Blue Striker.
Going through Flat ell Blue Striker was leading from Maeve with a small gap to Denton Phantom and Brown Sugar.
Onto the finish Blue Striker was leading and after another great race to the line to end the night did enough this time to claim the win after a string of second places.
Maeve was second from Jenny Horn’s Spring Return and following them home were Denton Phantom, Brown Sugar and Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Rambler.
Racing resumes on Saturday at Bridekirk for a four-grade meeting – Seniors, Pups, Open Maidens, Veterans. Seniors slip at 1pm.
May 13 – Standing Stones
- Hounds – 1. Baroness Ava; 2. Hey Mac; 3. Croft Lass; 4. Foxparke Honk Honk; 5. Maggie Moon; 6. Jenny’s Chance. 15 ran, time 28.41.
- Pups – 1. Bewley; 2. Let Me Try Again; 3. Kinniside Nugget; 4. What Is It; 5. Merle; 6. Miterdale Invictus. 11 ran, time 19.42.
- Open Maiden – 1. Peggy Sue; 2. Minnie Million; 3. Senor; 4. Heartside; 5. Pied Piper; 6. Degsey Moon. 22 ran, time 19.12.
- Open Restricted – 1. Blue Striker; 2. Maeve; 3. Spring Return; 4. Denton Phantom; 5. Brown Sugar; 6. Miterdale Rambler. 16 ran, time 18.39.
