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 SHOW Girl is looking good now for a successful tilt at retaining her HTA senior championship title over the last three months of the season.
Penny Swanton’s 2009 winner has returned in good form after her lay-off and may now have most to fear from kennel-mate Darling. Both have been in winning form this week.
At Cold Fell last Wednesday conditions were perfect and the champion excelled. Tracking the leaders at halfway she gradually eased into the lead and when the runners emerged from the top to start the decent to the finish she only had Quiet Swallow to bother about.
Although there was the briefest of hints of a challenge Show Girl (pictured left) took that in her stride and went on to win comfortably with Quiet Swallow well clear of My Girl in third.
Show Girl had started the night well for favourite backers and the pups went the same way as John Palmer’s Medwyn won even more readily than the senior champion. Most impressive throughout she came home a long way clear of Da Look and Quiet Goldfinch.
Man Nix won the open restricted, a good winner in the end, but helped by the fact that Miss Dynamite did her customary running-off to throw away another winning chance. She did find her way through in the end but too late and was a fast finishing third behind Sundown.
At Kirkstone on Thursday Huntsman's Dazzler had opened up a commanding lead when the seniors crossed the road at half way, and he continued unchallenged to the line for his 12th win. The chasing group were headed in by Cinnabar and Sparrowmire Jill.
Three pups were very close at the line, the verdict going to Vanessa and Joe Simpson's Nike for her first success. The two kennel-mates Betty Boo and Tiagress were second and third.
There was another tight finish in the open non winners trail. Border River, owned by Dot Walker and trained by Lloyd Saunders and Louise Pounder, just beat Colourful and Temperance.
The other meeting on Thursday was at Millstone Moor where Arthur and Irene Temple sent-out a one-two in the senior trail.
Dairy Diamond and Dairy Song had been prominent throughout, although briefly headed by Tarantino, and by the end had established a handy lead over the chasers who were headed at the line by Owtback.
Pot Look obliged like an odds on favourite should in the junior trail but there were a few concerns in the closing stages.
James McClellan and Steven Irving's son of Fleetwood Mac and Lady Ryan’s beat Blackbird in a small field of five runners despite being stopped temporarily by a flock of sheep on the finish. Fortunately for his supporters he regained his bearings and his resolve to go forward and comfortably held off Blackbird’s renewed challenge.
In the open maidens Silent Witness and Rhinestone Cowboy were left to battle out the finish with the former just being the more determined at the line, winning by a length and a half. Tidal Bay finished very strongly to take third place.
There was plenty of entertainment for the trails followers on Saturday with three meetings to take in – St. Helena, Lorton and Askam.
St Helena kicked-off proceedings and in the senior race Denis Peare and Jackie Gill sent out Valhalla to win with a great late flourish which carried her past No Secret ion the final field.
Medwyn (pictured right) was an odds on favourite in the pups and continued her fine run of form with another very impressive victory.
She was a distance clear De La Hoya at the line with Sawdust equi-distant behind in third.
Butterfly was another winning favourite in the maidens. She had a good tussle with Magenta on the run to the line but did enough, reward for some eye-catching efforts of late.
Lorton was next up for those intrepid travellers prepared to make a day of it and Molly Malone produced another very good performance to record win number six in the championship.
Forcing the pace coming down the fell she had established a massive lead and went on to beat Mayfair by a distance with Desire taking third.
Sherlock was always prominent in the maidens and saw off a variety of opponents before having to get down to fight out the finish where he held off Kelly Mac, Ellie Vee and Sweet Pea by three yards.
James McClellan and Steven Irving have their hounds in good order and Da Look produced another winning performance in the pups.
Da Look and The Man had a great tussle for the line with the favourite getting home by a head with Paddy’s Return back ion third place.
Nine youngsters contested the puppy maiden trail and it was Susan Studholme’s Waver Rock who proved to be the strongest at the finish, holding his advantage on the finish to beat Temperance by three yards.
 The day was completed at Askam where there were some strong contenders in the senior trail including former senior champion Westgate Kyza; last year’s puppy champion Dairy Diamond and current senior title challenger Darling.
But the business end really only concerned one of those, Kevin and Penny Swanton’s talented Darling who came through in exciting fashion to win from kennelmate My Girl. Huntsman’s Chance was 30 yards behind in third.
Puppy table leader Angel hasn’t been able to add to her tally for a while now but she ran a bit more like she had shown early in the season when she finished very strongly to take third place.
Nick and Trish Wilson’s Tiagress had a massive lead in the trail and she eventually finished a long way clear of Colourful and the fast-finishing Angel.
Cavendish won the maiden trail comfortably for Mark Petersen, Michael Kay and Shauna Oldcorn from Rhinestone Cowboy with kennel-mate Cannavaro in third.
The veterans was won by Some Girl who produced the best finishing speed to get away from Calzaghe and Linsdale.
Helton on Sunday was a much more successful meeting than last time, and three very tight finishes kept the spectators entertained. Not so in the seniors, however, as Show Girl had a very easy win from High Challenge and Relentless to bring her total up to five.
The senior maiden trail developed into a real duel up the hill between Spot On and Truthful. Spot On just got over first by a head for Malcolm and Ann Holmes, and these two were well clear of the rest.
Three pups chopped and changed up the hill, and the camera was called on again to determine the result - Poker-Face first for Alec and Jackie Steele, followed by Nike and Endurance.
Yet another photo finish came in the open restricted, and the verdict went by a nose to Halloween, from White Diamond, with the other ticket hounds all close up.
This completed a good week-end for the Holmes family, as Malcolm owns Halloween in partnership with Margaret Baxter and Jan Tyson, and Sherlock had taken the senior maiden trail at Lorton the day before. Spot On, Halloween and Sherlock are all five-year-olds from the same litter.
There’s no stopping Medwyn at the moment, making rapid inroads on the puppy table leaders with her fourth win in ten days at Lamplugh on Monday.
She held a handy lead coming onto the finish pursued by Toffee Deluxe and Jacob McClink and was able to see-out the race with her rivals unable to get any nearer.
Molly Malone is another hound in good form and she maintained her run in the senior trail, getting the better of Miss Molly for her seventh success of the season. Sweet Pea, in contention for a long way, finished third.
Nicola and Darren McMaster's Rhinestone Cowboy was heading for a win in the open maidens when he veered off on the finish and slowed down, which allowed Magenta to come past and get home by a length.
Tuesday’s meeting at Sandale was for the North Air Ambulance and organiser Dickie Smithson expressed his thanks for all those who had turned-out to participate.
“Kennel cough is rife at the moment with small fields generally, particularly among the pups, but we had 16 and another 27 for the open restricted which was very good,” said Dickie.
Mayfair won the first Sandale trail last year and repeated the feat, taking the seniors by a good 20 lengths from High Challenge in the smallest field of the night – just nine.
The sixteen pups were led home by Blackbird and in a good finish she got the better of Da Look by about two lengths.
The finish of the open restricted was even closer with Cracking Thore just getting the better of White Diamond by half a length.
The HTA’s Patron Lord Bragg is hoping to attend the Premier trails at Snow Hill on August 7 where, as a result of several requests, a veteran trail is being added to the programme.
Any contributions to the prize money, which has to be the usual £150, will be most gratefully received! There will be a Tipster Competition on the day.
John Coughlan tells me that the Donal O'Mahony memorial draghunt will be held at Blarney on Sunday, August 8.
Many HTA members have travelled to this meeting in recent years and in John’s opinion it is one course that would suit the majority of HTA hounds.
There will be four trails - senior, senior maiden, puppy and puppy maiden and trainers are guaranteed a clean, neutral course.
John said: “As always the Cork Association is extending the hand of friendship to all trainers to run at this great meeting and if you feel you are not interested in competing you have a chance to Kiss the Blarney Stone coupled with some Irish hospitality.”
MAL WALKER was at Cold Fell during the week to snap the three winners - Show Girl, Medwyn and Mang Nix.
Recent results in the Border Association have been as follows:-
Sunday 25th July, Sewingshields.
Seniors: 1, Prancer; 2, Trust; 3, Tune; 4, Spring Dream; 5, Spring Midget. 5 ran, time 25.32.
Senior Graded: 1, Farm Time; 2, Fire Ranger; 3, Lauren's Gift; 4, Summer Virtue; 5, Castle Corrie; 6, Houxty Bank. 14 ran, 26.07.
Pups: 1, Denman; 2, Gizmo; 3, Dynamic; 4, Eagle Heart; 5, Spring Rambler; 6, Lotto. 7 ran, time 17.12.
Puppy Graded: 1, Spring Roamer; 2, Delta Disco; 3, Spring Rhythm; 4, Border Pal; 5, Delta Diva; 6, Class Lass. 8 ran, time 17.46.
Veterans: 1, Fire Dream; 2, Skylark; 3, Jedi; 4, Peter; 5, Lakeland Echo; 6, Delta Dancer. 6 ran, time 17.17.
Thursday 22nd July, Rogersceugh.
Seniors: 1, Prancer; 2, Trust; 3, Spring Dream; 4, Castle Corrie; 5, Georgie's Girl; 6, Jacko. 7 ran, time 27.44.
Senior Graded: 1, Tune; 2, Amber Salsa; 3, Fire Ranger; 4, Summer Virtue; 5, Castle Cairn; 6, Houxty Bank. 15 ran, time 27.52.
Pups: 1, Denman; 2, Gizmo; 3, Spring Rhythm; 4, Eagle Heart; 5, Lotto; 6, Flanagan. 8 ran, time 18.44.
Puppy Graded: 1, Amber Didier; 2, Delta Disco; 3, Delta Diva; only three finished 6 ran, 20.25.
Tuesday 20th July, Wintershields.
Seniors: 1, Prancer; 2, Jacko; 3, Spring Dream; 4, Telltale; 5. Fire Dream. 5 ran, time 22.29.
Senior Graded: 1, Houxty Beck; 2, Houxty Bank; 3, Summer Virtue; 4, Farm Time; 5, Fire Ranger; 6, Class Act. 19 ran, 22.15.
Pups: 1, Denman; 2, Gizmo; 3, Dynamic; 4, Border Lily; 5, Spring Rambler; 6, Lotto. 7 ran, 17.40.
Puppy Graded: 1, Spring Roamer; 2, Border Pal; 3, Flanagan; 4, Delta Disco; 5, Castle Piper; 6, Delta Diva. 8 ran, time 18.51.
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