A sunny Bank Holiday Monday saw a five-grade HRA meeting at Bridekirk for the third time with 45 hounds turning out on the day.
The seniors went first with a field off 12 and Darren and Julie McMaster and Anthony Skelton’s Silver Dream was sent off as the hot favourite and got away well in the first three going over the first hurdle.
She was with Les and Graham Reid’s Mel and Darren McMaster, Sadie Wilson and Anthony Skelton’s Silver Streak.
The hounds are seen dropping down out of the woods where Silver Streak was leading in the company of Silver Dream and Nicola McMaster and Sadie Wilson’s Sarah Jane.
They are then seen about a minute later going along the bottoms with Silver Streak still leading from Silver Dream and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Fairlady.
They are then back into sight another minute later going out of sight with a group of three, being led by Silver Streak and Silver Dream, being followed by the others.
Once over the final hurdle and onto the long finish it was the reigning double champion Silver Dream who came on strongly as usual to claim her 12th win of the season by half a length ahead of kennel mate Silver Streak.
Mel was third ahead of Martin, Molly and Teddy Burrow and Sarah Jackson’s Thorn Soul.
They were followed in by Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Sidekick and Sarah Jane.
The Senior Maidens were next to go with a line-up of five with Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Elliot’s Lass and Foxparke Dealer sent off the joint favourites.
The hounds are briefly seen once they are slipped jumping over the first hurdle and going out of sight where the kennel’s third entry Foxparke Majesty went out well ahead of Foxparke Elliot’s Lass and Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside.
Back into sight dropping out of the woods Foxparke Dealer was leading from Foxparke Elliot’s Lass and Lisa and Holly Whitfield’s Lucky Breeze.
Back into view a minute later going along the bottoms Foxparke Elliot’s Lass was now leading from Foxparke Dealer and Lucky Breeze.
Jumping the final hurdle onto the long finish Foxparke Elliot’s Lass was leading by a length from Foxparke Dealer.
But as they neared the line and the whistles started Foxparke Elliot’s Lass finished well to claim the win from kennel mate Foxparke Dealer and Lucky Breeze
Heartside finished in fourth and Foxparke Majesty claimed the final ticket.
The Open Pups were first of the short races with Sadie, Kessi and Graham Wilson’s Cinderella sent off as favourite.
Dropping out of sight Martin and Molly Burrow, Ian Freyne, Ger and Jennifer Kenneally’s Thorn Daisy was showing the way with kennel mates Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ and Jake and Zach Green’s Acacia and Azalia for company.
Going through the bottoms Acacia was leading a long line of hounds with Cinderella in second and Thorn Daisy in third.
Back into view and over the final hurdle it was a good race to the line with Cinderella getting there by two lengths and victory number six of the season.
Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable was second and Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Sauvage took third.
Thorn Daisy finished fourth ahead of Acacia and Azalia.
The Puppy Maidens were the next to go with a line-up of 11 with Joseph Abram and Claire Crone’s Silver Girl being sent off as favourite.
Once slipped Silver Girl was leading out of sight and going through the bottoms she was leading from Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Neil Brady and Brooke Butler’s Foxparke Wanderer.
Back into view jumping the final hurdle onto the long finish it was Silver Girl who had established a great lead and claimed the win and a treble on the day for team Dearham.
Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidler’s Miterdale Invictus was second and Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier and Brooke Butlers Foxparke Jiggle took third ahead of kennelmate Foxparke Wanderer.
Laura Steele and Andrew Bulman’s Swifty was the only other finisher in fifth.
The final race of the day was the Open Restricted with a line-up of 11 and Laura Steele, Andrew and Joel Bulman and Ian Rumney’s Embrace was sent off favourite.
Dropping down into the bottoms Embrace was leading with Sarah White and Elsie Horn’s Malfunction for company.
Going through the bottoms Embrace was leading a line of hounds with Robyn, Ellie, Grace and Nicola Napier, Brooke Butler and Darren Clark’s Foxparke Rita’s Rose and Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Wow.
Onto the long finish Foxparke Rita’s Rose, Miterdale Wow and Embrace were involved in a thrilling race to the line.
In the end it was Embrace who got there first by half a length over Anthony, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele’s Miterdale Rambler in second and Foxparke Rita’s Rose who took third.
Malfunction finished fourth ahead of Geoff and Gillian Higgins’ Lucky Lottie and Miterdale Wow.
Monday May 25 – Bridekirk
- Hounds – 1. Silver Dream; 2. Silver Streak; 3. Mel; 4. Thorn Soul; 5. Foxparke Sidekick; 6. Sarah Jane. 12 ran, time 28.51.
- Maidens – 1. Foxparke Elliot’s Lass; 2. Foxparke Dealer; 3. Lucky Breeze; 4. Heartside; 5. Foxparke Majesty. 5 ran, time 33.41.
- Pups – 1. Cinderella; 2. Fable; 3. Miterdale Sauvage; 4. Thorn Daisy; 5. Azalia; 6. Acacia. 6 ran, time 19.04.
- Puppy Maiden – 1. Silver Girl; 2. Miterdale Invictus; 3. Foxparke Jiggle; 4. Foxparke Wanderer; 5. Swifty. 11 ran, only five finished. Time, 20.56.
- Open Restricted – 1. Embrace; 2. Miterdale Rambler; 3. Foxparke Rita’s Rose; 4. Malfunction; 5. Lucky Lottie; 6. Miterdale Wow. 11 ran, time 19.40.
