|
Darling and Huntsman’s Dazzler are gearing-up for a title-deciding conclusion to the season over the last two months.
The pair have chalked-up two victories over the last week with Darling winning at Wythop on Thursday and then again at Fellside on Sunday. Dazzler kept on her tail with victories at Rusland Show on Saturday and then at Lowick on Tuesday.
But we start at Buttermere last Tuesday where Molly Malone scored her ninth win of the season after again producing her customary smooth descent of the fell.
She handles that particularly well, dropping in like a stone after showing at the top with the lead. There was never any doubt about the result after that as she increased her advantage on her dash to the line, and won very easily.
Gentle Lady appears to be finding her touch again after a lay-off, and was in second place while Desire won a personal duel with Courtesy to take third.
Westgate Gypsy and Altanic had dead-heated at the previous meeting but this time they only had four rivals to bother about. Gypsy had won at Wasdale Head the previous night and proved her well-being with victory number 13 for the season to move menacingly into joint second place in the puppy table.
The winner had shown at the top of the fell with about 40 yards on her main rival but although Altanic virtually halved that advantage on the run to the line he was unable to get in a telling blow. Colourful kept on to take third.
The open maidens concluded proceedings and there was a very good finish which required a look in the camera to determine the outcome.
Davina looked to have stamped her authority on the race when she went in front coming through the last gate but Lingbeck Shadow wasn’t for quitting and settled down to battle it out all the way to the line. The official verdict was the Shadow by a neck as the pair produced the best finish of the night in a big field of 29. Not Now Jack took third.
With nothing on Wednesday, there were two meetings on Thursday and senior table leader Darling was successful at Wythop to increase her advantage at the top of the table.
Unfortunately her win was overshadowed by an injury to that consistent hound Outrageous which meant the eight-year-old had to be put down. The oldest hound still in regular action she had won the veteran’s title in 2008 and shared it last year with Sophisticated Lady.
A daughter of Crackerjack and Liam’s Lady – out of the same litter which produced the likes of Watt Nut Another, Westgate Ruler and Produce winner Westgate Diamond – she won five trails in her puppy season.
Since then she’s had five senior wins (2004); four senior wins (2005); six senior wins (2006); 12 veteran wins, 2 open restricted and one open maiden (2008); seven veteran wins, two open maidens and one open restricted (2009).
This season she won an open restricted at Lorton on July 18, so commiserations go to her owners Brian and John Graham, Julie and Graham Burkinshaw who have had so much fun with her over the years.
Darling had shown her customary finishing speed to beat Dairy Diamond in a big, competitive field of 26 with Mabel taking third.
Westgate Gypsy was fancied in the pups but she was unable to keep her recent run going when she could only take fourth place. Up ahead the first two over the line couldn’t be separated and a dead heat was the verdict of a thrilling finish involving Enoch and Ooh-La-La.
There was a massive entry of 44 for the open restricted in which Top Man lived up to his name after a battle with Rose with Rhinestone Cowboy in third.
Reigning joint champion Sophisticated Lady took the veterans trail which sadly saw her main rival from last year Outrageous run her last race!
The other meeting at Kentmere Hall saw Mika, who finished third in last year’s puppy championship with 20 wins, open her senior account.
Mayfly and Mayfair were first reported to be setting a fast pace at the head of affairs but Mika had been noted making stealthy progress and when they reached the final run-in she had a very useful lead.
Habana and Huntsman's Dazzler cut into the lead on the run to the line but couldn’t get there and Mika had about a dozen yards on the 2008 puppy champion at the line with title challenger Huntsman’s Dazzler close-up in third.
There was disappointment for connections of Tagget, the Bitch Produce winner when she was first over the tape in the pups but was disqualified for alleged interference. As a result Tiagress was promoted to first place with Kingdom and Momentum filling the next two places.
The Petersen and Oldcorn-trained Cannavaro won the Ernie Smith Memorial Shield for success in the open maidens. He came with a late rattle to get-up and beat Wattmore, with these two well ahead of Denial in third.
There was quick compensation for the Dazzler when he won at Rusland Show on Saturday registering his 17th success of the season in the process.
Although kennel-mate Jenny’s Dream did the donkey work early on it was the Dazzler who had got ton the front and forged a handy lead two thirds of the way round.
Gentle Lady did reduce the advantage in the closing stages but the Patterdale hound kept going strongly to the line and won comfortably for his third victory this season at the Rusland venue. Habana ran on to be third.
Table leader Angel was slipped in the puppy trail but didn’t pick-up a ticket in a 12-runner field.
Four of them were there with a chance on the finish but it was the Simpson's Nike who reacted best to the pressure situation and ran on well to beat Jackie and \huntsman’s Future. Grange Torres was the fourth hound involved and wasn’t too far adrift.
There were 29 slipped in the open maidens and a really impressive finish by Katherine Lyon’s Wattmore earned him the win as he came from third place to get past Magic Bay and Cannavaro.
Yvonne Wilson’s Bonny Lass was very impressive in winning the open restricted. She drove strongly in the opening half of the trail and although Langdale Smiler made a race of it for a while Bonny sprouted wings to pull clear and win by 20 yards. Tranquillity won a good race for third place.
With Huntsman’s Dazzler having closed the gap it was back to Darling on Sunday to restore her advantage with a win at Fellside.
She was given a good race by two-times champion Westgate Kyza who led onto the finish but couldn’t match Darling’s finishing burst and had to settle for runners-up spot. Sunshine ran well to surprise a few and beat Quiet Swallow for third place.
Spot On was made a strong favourite for the maidens but couldn’t match the finishing speed of Thorn Girl who had been seen to good effect from a fair way out. Meadow Patch finished third.
Unfortunately the puppy trail was declared void after three of the 19 runners went up the finish.
There was a great finish in the open restricted with Wisla just holding on to beat the very fast finishing Ms Dynamite. The veteran Calzaghe was close-up in third.
At Low Place on Monday Show Girl looked to be heading for victory in the senior trail, coming with a nice lead when she was distracted.
As a result Velvet came through to hold-off Miss Molly by ten yards and take the spoils with Molly Malone finishing third.
Justify crossed the line first in the pus but was disqualified and handed a second yellow card for interference. Ryan's Lady Anna was promoted first place with Medwyn and Enoch also moved up one.
The open maidens concerned three but in the end Red Pike beat Denial by a length with Domino close-up in third.
On Tuesday night Huntsman’s Dazzler cut Darling’s lead at the top to two with an almost effortless victory at Lowick. He had finished and had just about completed his rub down when the rest arrived in a bunch headed by Cavendish and Team Spirit.
Kennelmates Pot Look and Da Look ran away with the puppy trail before they fought-out the finish. It was Pot Look who triumphed in the end by two lengths.
The open non winners only attracted a small field of six runners but it was last year’s grade champion Denial who won in real style, finishing a distance clear of the rest. Moon River and Fortitude eventually took second and third. They were the only three finishers.
There was a strange finish to the open maidens as the four leaders all jumped the final gate and then proceeded to go the wrong way and went round again. It left Cotton Eye Joe with the chance to collect a victory which he did well from, Domino and Jordan’s Dream.
The Whitehaven Classic takes top-billing this holiday week-end – with organisers anxious to avoid a repeat of last year’s cancellation.
That’s why one eye has been firmly on the weather forecasts for Bank Holiday Monday, bearing in mind the heavy rain of late and last year’s downpours which caused the popular event to be called-off.
Bad weather had spoiled the 2008 staging, but at least they did get it in.
However last year a morning inspection of the beck meant there was no other option but to call it off on safety grounds.
An inspection at 7-30am revealed the beck was just too high and half an hour later it was officially cancelled.
Whitehaven Area treasurer Glenis Farren said: “Everyone was bitterly disappointed a year ago and I think we’re all watching the weather closely. Hopefully we’ll have a good day because it does attract a lot of interest.
”The venue at Salter is popular because there’s a natural vantage point to view the hounds.”
As well as attractive cash prizes in each of the five trails, Red Mills will be giving a bag of feed and rosettes while the John Jenkinson Memorial Trophy will go to the winner of the senior maidens.#
eanwhile Debbie O’Brien has sent the following latest posotions for the Carlisle and Penrith Area Trophies up to the 23rd August 2010
Area Trails
Open Seniors - My Girl 28, High Challenge 25, Huntsman’s Dazzler 24
Open Puppy - Endurance 28, Tagget 23, Colourful 19, Poker Face 19.
Open Open Restricted - Brannigan 21 (f), Jordons Tyke 16, Ms Dynamite 15.
Area Hounds in HTA Trails
Seniors: High Challenge 67, Mayfair 54, Sunshine 22.
Senior Maiden: Spot On 27, Small Print 22, Meadow Patch 8.
Puppy: Cracking Sunset 30, Whitrigg Quine 2.
Puppy Maiden: Cracking Sunset 15 (f)
Open Restricted: Halloween 39 (f), Sundown 23, Cracking Thore 17.
Veterans: The Real Bandit 22, Eden Rusty 11.
Open Non Winner: Hutton Toyah
If any one disagrees with their points can they please let Debbie know as it is easy to miss points. All results are nearest still eligible
|
News
News Feeds
