The latest of the HRA meetings was held at Latrigg, the first there this season.
Only 20 hounds turned out, with some owners perhaps opting to rest their hounds for Saturday’s prestigious HRA International.
Only three were entered for the Seniors and climbing out of sight Les and Graham Reid and Ellie Napier’s Mel was leading from kennel mate Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker’s Minnie along with Denise and Jenny Bland’s Huntsman’s Unite.
The hounds came back into sight after roughly 10 minutes running going through the fell where Mel had about 200 yards lead on Minnie who in turn was 200 yards clear of Huntsman’s Unite.
But things had changed dramatically when they came back into view dropping down the fell with early back-marker Huntsman’s Unite now in front from Mel and Minnie.
When they appeared on the finish Huntsman’s Unite was clear to win by 50 yards from Mel and another small gap to Minnie.
The Pups saw six sent on their way and climbing up the fell Christine Brownlee and Eric Cockbain’s Merle and Colin Satterthwaite’s Thorn Dot were leading the way.
There was a small gap to Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Fable and Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley.
When they were seen again dropping down the fell into the bottoms Geoff and Gillian Higgins and Jake and Zach Green’s pair of Acacia and Azalia had a slight advantage over Merle and Thorn Dot.
Onto the finish kennel and littermates Acacia and Azalia had a good race to the line with the former claiming the win by half a length.
There was a small gap to Bewley in third and he was followed by Thorn Dot, early leader Merle and Fable.
The Open Maidens had another line-up of six and climbing up the fell Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Is It It, currently trained by Denise and Jenny Bland, was off to his usual impressive start pursued by Tanya Satterthwaite’s Paddy The Plasterer, Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside and Glenis and Raymond Farren and Denise Bland’s Miss Becky.
Dropping down the fell Heartside had gone to the front from Stephen Riley and Isla Hetherington’s Ruby, Miss Becky and Is It It.
Once onto the finish, after a long climb out of the bottoms, Miss Becky and Heartside had a good race to the line.
In the end Miss Becky delivered a final spurt to win by a head from Heartside and Ruby.
Paddy The Plasterer, Stuart Smith’s Prospect Jill and Is It It took the remaining tickets.
The final race of the night was for the Veterans with a line-up of five.
Early on Julie Birkenshaw’s Bretton was leading from kennel mate Brian Graham and Eleanor Chisholm’s Eleanor’s Lass.
Dropping down the fell into the bottoms Bretton dropped down well and pulled away from Colin Satterthwaite’s Thorn Pop and Tanya Satterthwaite’s Swamp Fox.
However on the finish Thorn Pop and Bretton had a great battle to the line.
It was Thorn Pop who managed to win after a string of second places.
This time it was Bretton who had to settle for runner-up ahead of Eleanor’s Lass, Swamp Fox and Denis Peare and Jackie Gill’s Miterdale Duchess.
Latrigg Tops – June 17
Hounds – 1. Huntsman’s Unite; 2. Mel; 3. Minnie. 3 ran, time 30.59.
Pups – 1. Acacia; 2. Azalia; 3. Bewley; 4. Thorn Dot; 5. Merle; 6. Fable. 6 ran, time 18.41.
Open Maiden – 1. Miss Becky; 2. Heartside; 3. Ruby; 4. Paddy The Plasterer; 5. Prospect Jill; 6. Is It It. 6 ran, time 17.52.
Veterans – 1. Thorn Pop; 2. Bretton; 3. Eleanor’s Lass; 4. Swamp Fox; 5. Miterdale Duchess. 5 ran, time 17.13
