Whitehaven Area hosted a four-grade meeting at Cold Fell when 51 hounds turned out on the night.
Six of those were entered into the Seniors and from the slip Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Let It Be went away best with Denise and Jenny Bland’s Huntsman’s Time.
Back into view roughly three minutes later the pair were still leading the group and going well.
Back into view dropping down the fell and going into the gully onto the second half of the course Stephen Irving and Caroline Graham’s Zoya had gone to the front from Stanley, Carole and Sarah Jackson, David Loan, Ricky Deacon and Donald Hodgson’s Croft Lass and Let It Be.
But as they came out of the gully Zoya made a miss, along with Croft Lass, which allowed Let It Be to go away with a 100-yard lead over the pair.
Remarkably, just going out of sight Zoya had gone back to the front ahead of Let It Be, Croft Lass and Denise and Jenny Bland’s pair of Jenny’s Chance and Huntsman’s Unite.
The hounds are seen on the top of the fell before they drop into the bottoms and leading them was Zoya who had a slight advantage over Let It Be and Croft Lass.
Coming onto the finish it was Jenny’s Chance who was just in front but as they neared the line Let It Be burst through to win from Croft Lass and Jenny’s Chance with Zoya in fourth. Huntsman’s Unite took fifth but Huntsman’s Time failed to finish.
The Pups had a slip of 14 and once on their way it was Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s Is It It, currently trained by Denise and Jenny Bland, who was away at the front with former kennel mate, Ruth and Charlie Dixon’s What Is It chasing with Nicola McMaster and Barbara Telford’s Rodney Ranger and Martin and Molly Burrow, Ian Freyne, Ger and Jennifer Kenneally’s Thorn Daisy.
Going into the gully Duncan, Amy, Oliver, Liam, Eleanor Chisholm, Harry Turner and Brian Grahams Let Me Try Again had a slight advantage over What Is It, Thorn Daisy and Rodney Ranger.
On the top of the fell before dropping into the bottoms Tony, Marlene, Connor and Carter Irving and Gary Woodend’s Bewley was racing away at the front with Thorn Daisy and Rodney Ranger.
Then Rodney Ranger ran off and lost a few strides with Sadie, Kessi and Graham Wilson’s Cinderella moving well in fourth.
Coming out of the sieves Bewley was leading from Rodney Ranger and Thorn Daisy but as they neared the line Cinderella came like a train to grab the win.
Kennelmate Rodney Ranger was second and Bewley took third ahead of Thorn Daisy, Steph, Sophie, Katie and Alfie Steele and Roy Laidlers Miterdale Sauvage and Let Me Try Again.
The Open Maidens had a line-up of 19 and leading them out was Stuart Jeynes’ Heartside.
Coming over the top of the fell and dropping into the bottoms Thorn Pop was leading from kennel mate Thorn Heart and Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot.
Coming out of the sieves and racing for the line it was the pup Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot who came through to claim the win over Thorn Heart and Thorn Pop.
Heartside finished fourth and Les and Graham Reid, Erin Rowlandson, Barbara Jones and Steven Walker’s Minnie was fifth ahead of Strawberry Mick.
The final race of the night was the Open Restricted with a line-up of 12 and leading them up the fell was Christine Brownlee’s pair of Malia and Maeve with Sarah White and Elsie Horn’s Malfunction with them.
Going through the fell Malia was at the front from kennel mate Maeve; Glenis and Raymond Farren’s Miss Becky; Malfunction and Brian and Erin Rowlandson and the late Billy Birkett’s Blue Striker
Coming off the top of the fell and dropping into the bottoms Blue Striker was just in front of Maeve and the pair were battling away well.
When they emerged from the sieves Blue Striker looked as though he was going to come and win but was denied in the final stages by Maeve who finished well to take the honours.
Blue Striker had to settle for second with Miss Becky in third, and they were followed in by Malfunction, Sophie Steele, Jake and Zach Green’s Miterdale Green Queen and the winner’s kennel mate Malia.
Wednesday July 16 – Cold Fell
- Hounds – 1. Let It Be; 2. Croft Lass; 3. Jenny’s Chance; 4. Zoya; 5. Huntsman’s Unite. 6 ran, only five finished. Time 40 06.
- Pups – 1. Cinderella; 2. Rodney Ranger; 3. Bewley; 4. Thorn Daisey; 5. Miterdale Sauvage; 6. Let Me Try Again. 14 ran, time 21.04.
- Open Maiden – 1. Foxparke Jubilee’s Jackpot; 2. Thorn Heart; 3. Thorn Pop; 4. Heartside; 5. Minnie; 6. Strawberry Mick. 19 ran, time 21.01.
- Open Restricted – 1. Maeve; 2. Blue Striker; 3. Miss Becky; 4. Malfunction; 5. Miterdale Green Queen.; 6. Malia. 12 ran, time 20.00.
