|
 ORGANISERS of the Cold Fell Festival earned a massive seal of approval from a visitor to Saturday’s seven-trail meeting.
David Tully from Hayden Bridge, who organises sponsorship for the international when it is held in Border HTA territory, had nothing but praise for their efforts.
“As far as I’m concerned it was a memorable day. The viewing was superb and the whole event went off like clockwork. It just shows you what can be achieved with lots of enthusiasm and hard work. I understand this year’s prize money was the highest ever for their festival.
“I know how hard it is, because of the current credit crunch, to get people to part with their money for sponsorship.
“I had a couple of people with me that I was introducing to the sport in the hope that they might get involved in sponsorship for next year’s international. The Cold Fell committee looked after them wonderfully well, which was much appreciated.
“It all creates a favourable impression of the sport, and of the people running the sport.
“What impressed me, and my visitors, is how everybody mucked in when it was all over getting jobs done to tidy up and wrap-up after the day’s trailing. It was good to see,” he told me.
Certainly it appears to have been a near-seamless transition from Cock How to Cold Fell and once again underlined its status in the hound trailing calendar.
The Festival – whether at Cock How or the new venue at Cold Fell – tends to produce the most competitive racing of the season, with over £3,000 in prize money tempting out all the big guns.
The biggest field of the day contested the opening trail – the open restricted – in which 62 were slipped and plenty were in with a chance when they reached the closing stages.
In a line virtually on the finish it was Line Dancer who just got the edge where it mattered and went on to beat Miss Molly by two lengths.
It was a similar story in the open non-winners, although with only 27 runners, as Meadow Kate (pictured below with Paul and Jo Airey)beat Temptation by a length with Newtown Ghost a length away in third and the other ticketing hounds fairly closely bunched.
One of the best gambles of the day was landed in the veterans’ trail where Sophisticated Lady brought a few groans from her backers when appearing to ease on the finish but she got going again to beat Pinfold Skye by 12 lengths.
There was a good scrap in the senior trail between Mayfair and Velvet. In the end, however, Mayfair just had too much in the locker and went on to win by four lengths. She's pictured above with trainer Victor Brownlee.
A number of hounds appeared to lose the trail out on the fells but the general opinion was that it hardly affected the result.
In the senior maidens Random Star led all the way in and had six lengths to spare on Davina at the line.
Easiest winner of the day was Quiet Swallow in the pups as she raced home with 20 lengths to spare over Dizzee Rascal.
Then to complete the day’s trailing the tightest finish was reserved for the puppy maidens where Rose just beat Sundown by half a length with the other leading contenders close-up.
The Kinsella Memorial Trophy for best performance of the day went to Quiet Swallow while the Top House Shield for best team was won by the Jackson/Rudd kennel.
Result of the puppy show was as follows - Dogs - 1 Jack (Jackie Steele), 2 Pat (Spike Jackson), 3 Ben (Russ Dawson).
Bitches - 1 Summer (Adele Shields), 2 Pippa (Aimee Donaldson), 3 Jen (Ronnie Walker).
The champion was the bitch Summer.
They were actually back at Cold Fell on Monday night when some of Saturday’s stars were prominent again but others were less so.
Quiet Swallow took the puppy trail again, this time by 15 lengths from Shiraz but the senior Festival winner Mayfair was always struggling and didn’t even ticket behind Courtesy, who had been third on Saturday.
This time Courtesy found the way to the line first, some ten lengths ahead of Dairy Singer with the Festival runner-up Velvet back in third.
Sundown, narrowly beaten by Rose in the Festival puppy maidens, won the open maidens by a length from Silent Witness.
The open restricted trail rounded-off proceedings and Miss Molly, beaten by Line Dancer in Saturday’s opener, had a length to spare over Sunlight but the first four were all covered by three lengths.
 We start our look at the week on Wednesday at Lamplugh where Jimmy Quick (alongside) and Hot Fuss showed together as they headed for the finish. In the end it was Jimmy Quick who prevailed by two lengths.
Quiet Swallow had given evidence of her current well-being as she beat Shiraz by three lengths in the puppy trail.
Roulette beat Amy Jo by two lengths after the pair had showed together off the tops. Roulette is pictured below with owner Heidi Messenger.
On Thursday they were back at Ward Hall and in the seniors the first two got clear after Busy Night and Alfresco had gone chasing a hare. Owtback eventually got the better of Razzmatazz by a length and a half.
There was a good race between the first four in the pups before Matador added to his growing reputation by beating Hunter's Lane by two lengths.
Rough Diamond looked to have the open maidens wrapped-up but faded into third as both Splendid Star and Kelly-Mac got past near the line with the former winning by a length.
That brings us up to this Tuesday when there was a double bill at Oulton and Helton.
At Oulton the reigning senior champion Westgate Kyza had a couple of lengths on Some Girl at the line.
Dog Produce winner High Challenge finished well to battle his way home ahead of Infinity and Mika, getting home with a length and a half to spare.
There was a good finish to the open maidens with Escala beating Dixie Moon by half a length.
Trail-goers at Oulton were shocked to hear that a popular former member of the Aspatria and Wigton Area committee had died earlier in the day.
George Johnston had also been a member of the executive committee.
He had only been involved in hound trailing for around ten years but had useful hounds like Wizard and Wisla.
Previously George had been a long and established respected figure in the dog world, writing several books on the Bassett Hound. He had also judged at Cruft’s.
He and his family was well known in Wigton where they had run a shoe shop for many years.
Helton started out a fine evening, but a heavy shower came during the maiden trail. However, it cleared up for the last two.
In the seniors Habana won by 20 yards after finishing really well up the hill to beat Ms Dynamite and kennel-mate Beyonce.
The maiden trail saw Brad the Lad hold off Sovereign by just a length, and they were well clear of the rest.
The pups produced a close finish between the first three, but it was Mabel who did the best on the hill, overtaking Huntsman’s Echo and Sunshine for a narrow win.
In the open restricted the favourite Halloween was determined on the finish and overtook Martaura coming up to the line, winning by a couple of lengths.
Now for some latest points - correct up to and including Monday, 13th July. Figures in brackets are the number of "lives" left:
Open restricted - Miss Molly 58 (finished), Superseven 41(3), Sunlight 36 (1), Halloween 35 (2), Brookdale 34 (1), Della 32 (3).
Open maiden - Blueprint 39 (1), Davina 38 (1), Newtown Ghost and Rough Diamond 35 (both 2), Black Poppy 26 (1).
Senior maiden - Random Star 20 (finished), Trebor 19 (1), nearest still eligible Hot as Hell 16 (1), Brad the Lad and Team Spirit 11 (both 2), Cannavaro 10 (2).
Puppy maiden -. Rose 16 (finished), Sundown 14 (1), Cracking T'other 11 (1), Snow Peak and Quiet Swift 9 (both 2).
Open non winners - Bowderdale Billy 12, nearest still eligible Temptation 11, Denial 8, Barncroft Secret 6, Lonesome 6.
Veterans - Sophisticated Lady and Outrageous 15, Lofty and Sandy Bay 12.
Team comp. Div. 1 - Dream Team 135, Westgates 114, Aristocrats 91, Hot Chocolate 89, Scamps 77, Mart Rascals 75.
Div. 11 - Random Stars 52, Disco Infernos 50, Fantastic Four 44, Butch's Bairns 40, Crazy Gang 37, Jenny's + Two 34.
Latest results in the Border Association have been as follows:-
Tuesday 7th July, Hallbankgate.
Seniors: 1, Silver Birch; 2, Farm Time; 3, Trust; 4, Jack Flash; 5, Denton Friendship; 6, Spring Midget. 9 ran, time 23.23.
Senior Graded: 1, Freedom; 2, Major; 3, Delta Star; 4, Newman; 5, Eagle Gill; 6, Spring Raider. 16 ran, time 23.04.
Pups: 1, Prancer; 2, Spring Dream; 3, Tune; 4, Storm; 5, Castle Cairn; 6, Brooksey. 6 ran, time 16.22.
Puppy Graded: 1, Bantry Bay; 2, Fire Cracker; 3, Langdale; 4, Kim; 5, Spring Gale; 6, Denton Princess. 8 ran, time 16.23.
Thursday 9th July, Thirlwall Castle.
Seniors: 1, Trust; 2, Silver Birch; 3, Denton Friendship; 4, Templer; 5, Fire Ranger; 6, Spring Midget. 9 ran, time 23:46.
Senior Graded: 1, Puzzle; 2, Freedom; 3, Delta Star; 4, Delta Dancer; 5, Newman; 6, Mr Ed. 21 ran, time 23:30.
Pups: 1, Tune; 2, Castle Cairn; 3, Prancer; 4, Spring Dream; 5, Summer Virtue. only five finished, 6 ran, time 20:30.
Puppy Graded: 1, Brooksey.; 2, Fire Cracker; 3, Ollie; 4, Spring Gale; 5, Bantry Bay; 6, Kim. 9 ran, time 22:24.
Veterans: 1, Eagle Gill; 2, On-Line; 3, Castle Thorn; 4, Hot Response; 5, Peter; 6, Denton Memory. 9 ran, time 19:20.
Sunday 12th July, Thirlwall Castle
Seniors: 1, Trust; 2, Spring Midget; 3, Fire Ranger; 4, Castle Corrie; 5, Jack Flash; 6, Silver Birch. 9 ran, time 24.03.
Senior Graded: 1, Amber Salsa; 2, Freedom; 3, Puzzle; 4, Delta Star; 5, Mr Ed; 6, Fire Dream. 14 ran, time 22.47.
Bitch Produce Stakes: 1, Spring Dream; 2, Tune; 3, Gemini; 4, Fire Cracker; 5, Summer Venture; 6, Denton Princess. 8 ran, time 17.04.
Pups: 1, Prancer; 2, Storm; 3, Castle Cairn; 4, Spring Gale; 5, Brooksey. 8 ran, time 19:19
Veterans: 1, Hot Response; 2, Eagle Gill; 3, On-Line; 4, Denton Memory; 5, Amber Petite. only five finished 6 ran, time 16.47.
Tuesday 7th July, Hallbankgate.
Seniors: 1, Silver Birch; 2, Farm Time; 3, Trust; 4, Jack Flash; 5, Denton Friendship; 6, Spring Midget. 9 ran, time 23.23.
Senior Graded: 1, Freedom; 2, Major; 3, Delta Star; 4, Newman; 5, Eagle Gill; 6, Spring Raider. 16 ran 23.04.
Pups: 1, Prancer; 2, Spring Dream; 3, Tune; 4, Storm; 5, Castle Cairn; 6, Brooksey. 6 ran, time 16.22.
Puppy Graded: 1, Bantry Bay; 2, Fire Cracker; 3, Langdale; 4, Kim; 5, Spring Gale; 6, Denton Princess. 8 ran, time 16.23.
|
Hound Trailing 
News Feeds
