by John Walsh

Published at 11:09, Thursday, 10 May 2012

THE first of the major trails on May Day was well-supported and although the weather could have been better, the rain held off for a long time.

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Given the impressive manner in which Dairy Diamond had won at Cold Fell last week, when she showed with the advantage, there were many who thought it was all over.

But she couldn’t shake-off Colleen, last year’s big race specialist, and as they got onto the last stretch the lead changed again. Colleen got back in front and had enough in reserve to go on and won by five lengths or so.

Tagget, who had been prominent throughout, kept on for third place.

Former puppy champion Habana was made favourite for the maidens but there was good money also for Pip’s Lad.

The pair were always handy and prominent but it was Habana who had the finishing speed, making light of he five years and turning the clock back to her puppy season as she raced clear for a good win. Pip’s Lad held on well for second after a good scrap with Davina.

Believe looked to have a great chance in the pups after racing well clear but she inexplicably stopped and retraced her steps allowing the next three to come past. Jenny’s Rascal led them in, beating the kennelmates and litter sisters Shameless and Capetown by ten lengths. Believe responded in time to get fourth.

Huntsman’s Hero, trained at Seaton by Stephen and Lesley Miles, was a popular winner of the puppy maidens. She showed great resolve coming up the final climb to beat Endeavour by three lengths with Is He It in third.

Denise and Jenny Bland, who own Huntsman’s Hero, rounded off a great day when sending out first and second in the final race for the open restricted.

They are training Langdale Jack for George Birkett at the moment and he was another who stayed-on with great grit coming up the last climb to beat Jenny’s Dream by three lengths. Silver Spangle put in a very good finish to take third place.

The organisers would like to thank the sponsors of the May Day trails, who were as follows: Rob Hunt of the Ferndale Guest House, Ambleside; the Brown Horse, Winster; the Royal Oak, Ambleside; Robert Reid; the Hound Trailing Newsletter and the Westmorland Area

Following the May Day Trails I’ve had the latest prices quoted by Paul Garritty on the senior and puppy championships for 2012.

There are now three co-favourites for the senior crown, priced at 7/2 – Tagget, Sparrowmire Jill and Dairy Diamond.

The reigning champion Darling, who has still to open her account for the new season, is 4/1 with Hello Dolly, last year’s puppy champion.

Desire is priced at 12/1 with Colleen at 14/1 and it’s 20/1 bar.

The new clear favourite for the puppy title is the Border bred Chicharito at 3/1 with Capetown at 4/1 and litter sister Shameless 6/1, Jenny’s Rascal is on her own at 10/1 while all on 12/1 are Baroness, Acacia and Cracking Moment. It’s 20/1 bar.

We start our look back at last Wednesday’s double bill at Gamelsby and Low Place where 96 hounds contested the six trails on offer.

At Gamelsby High Challenge was sent-off the odds on favourite but he suffered badly from a scale and as a consequence Hello Dolly added to her list of early-season wins, battling well to hold the challenge of Silver Dollar and Artisan.

Chicharito was a comfortable winner of the junior trail with none of her nine rivals able to get in a telling blow. Assert eventually finished second from Black Rose.

The Puddle Jumper continues to be the most frustrating hound in training and after looking well placed to land another open maiden, somehow contrived to lose it on the line to John Fell’s No Bother.

At Low Place In the seniors Valhalla got first run on the others as they came down the fellside, and at one point had opened up a near-30 yard lead.

But Corrina hadn’t given up and came through in exciting fashion to grab the lead and go on to score well, her first success of the season. The favourite Tagget got past Valhalla to take second place.

Four youngsters had a chance as they showed on the finish of the puppy trail, with the quartet all taking turns to lead. In the end, though, Rumours knuckled down best of all and drew clear to win for the second time this season, from Baroness and Sental.

In the open maidens, Come Home Sid had the grit to get home and hold-off a late challenge from the fancied Tearaway Lady by a couple of lengths. Zeddicus finished in third.

On Thursday the action switched to Kendal - Soot Box which was staging the first of four fixtures, and were pleased with a fine, sunny night.

When the seniors showed on the finish Jacob McClink was well clear, coming home in splendid isolation, collecting his fourth victory of the campaign by some 250 yards.

It might have been an easy win but there was a good battle for second place and Sparrowmire Jill just did enough to beat Della by a length and a half.

Jenny’s Rascal and Shameless appeared to have the puppy trail between them but the battle to the line didn’t materialise. Jenny’s Rascal went off, presumably after some rabbits which had stirred, and Shameless went on to win easily. It let Capetown in for second before Jenny’s Rascal got back to business and came through for third.

John and Val Loan, successful with Jacob McClink, completed a double in the open maidens when Jack’s Lad maintained a two length’s advantage along the finish to beat Wattmore and Hey Jude.

There was double fare on Saturday with Lamplugh and Gamelsby the venues staging the two meetings.

Lamplugh went first, with its first fixture of the season, and the puppies opened the programme with a good turn-out of 35 juniors.

There was an unfortunate finish as three of the four youngsters who had drawn clear were racing on the wrong side of the fence. That put Glory, Red Rob and Westgate Belle out of contention as they could not be judged and instead Reg Smith’s Assert went on to get the verdict.

Two Tone was given second with Wistlo Spring and took third but punters will be bearing in mind Glory, Red Rob and Westgate Belle when they meet again at Lamplugh.

There was a good finish to the open maidens with Hot Flush just getting the verdict over Thorn Girl by less than half a length. Highwayman was in third place.

In the open restricted Miterdale One showed an excellent turn of speed coming down the final descent and responding to the calls moved through from third place to grab victory by a couple of lengths from Night Shadow and Sundown.

The seniors were last away and it proved a disaster as only two of the 13 runners managed to get round. They went wrong somewhere out on the fell and eventually two of them, Sweet Pea and Sawdust worked it out and managed to get round with most of the others going back.

Gamelsby staged the night meeting but there was a disappointing turn-out with only four seniors going to the slip.

Hello Dolly set a nice pace, driving the quartet but they were all in touch for a long way. On the finish High Challenge hit the front but in the closing stages there was only winner as Hello Dolly regained the advantage and went on to win by a good 20 yards.

Chicharito was a hot favourite to land another puppy trail but she had company when they reached the finishing stretch. Cracking Moment wouldn’t go away and was rewarded with a victory by two lengths.

The Puddle Jumper threw away another winning chance in the open maidens allowing Baron to get past in a tight finish with Rush just in behind.

Sponsors of the May Day trails were Rob Hunt of the Ferndale Guest House, Ambleside; The Brown Horse, Winster; The Royal Oak, Ambleside; Robert Reid; The Hound Trailing Newsletter and The Westmorland Area.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk