By John Walsh

Published at 11:11, Thursday, 03 May 2012

DAIRY Diamond, the 2009 puppy champion, has started the new campaign in superb form and is already being nominated as the prospective senior champion.

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Arthur and Irene Temple weren’t as active on the trail field last season as they have been before and Diamond had a relatively quiet campaign, with just four championship wins in the season.

But the way she ran away from Velvet and Tagget at Cold Fell on Saturday was the most impressive single performance by a senior hound in the first month of the season.

In a big field of 39 seniors there had been four reported close-up and in contention but when they appeared over the top it was Dairy Diamond in command and she just accelerated away from her rivals, some 30 yards ahead of the two kennelmates – no slouches – Velvet and Tagget.

With shrewd handlers in the Temples, Dairy Diamond is going to take all the beating, especially as reigning double champion Darling has been slow into her stride and has just got back onto the trail field.

Sparrowmire Jill was well-backed by connections ahead of the season but has also been conspicuous by her absence but the way she ran in fourth behind the impressive Dairy Diamond suggests it won’t be too long before she opens her account.

There were some good puppies slipped for the junior trail and all the talk was for Capetown, early table leader along with Jupiter. Fifty-five of them went to the start.

But it was her sister Shameless who showed that she can be a force, too, in the battle for the junior crown. The daughter of Westgate Kyza and Bonny Lass was chalking up her third win of the campaign and did so in some style, racing clear of her rivals with a devastating turn of speed to come home alone. Kennelmates Jenny’s Rascal and Huntsman’s Hope took second and third.

Cracking Performer put in a strong driving display in the open maidens but was caught in the end by Pip’s Lad who had come through just at the right time to steal the win by a length. Jenny’s Dream finished third.

Kennelmates Simply Rascal and Border River finished first and third in the open restricted with not a lot between them. They were split by Escala in field of 39.

The general consensus of opinion was that the meeting, sponsored by Border Cars, was a throw-back to the old days with a good crowd, plenty of hounds and some good racing. It highlighted the fact that the sport can still put on a show.

The week’s reports start last Wednesday at Low Place where there were 50 runners for the three trails.

There wasn’t much between the first three seniors coming down the fell but Tagget pulled away from Black Eyed Pea and Silver Moon on the run=-in to win by about 20 yards.

Shameless took the puppy trail after getting the best run down the side of the wall to sneak the advantage over her pursuers Glory and Jenny’s Rascal.

Thorn Girl led all the way down the fell in the open maidens and was being pegged-back on the run to the line but just had enough in hand to hold-off Jenny’s Dream and Tinkerbell.

On Thursday at Oulton there was a good finish to the seniors with the three leaders all closely grouped. In the end Artisan beat Enoch by three quarters of a length with High Challenge close up in third.

A dozen or aso of the pups came back in the junior trail, although half of them started-off again and got round eventually.

The winner was well clear as Chicharito had half a field to spare over nearest pursuer Hurry On with Assert in third.

In the open maidens Baron got the verdict by half a length from The Puddle Jumper with Barncroft Secret in third place.

They were back at Oulton on Saturday and this time it was High Challenge who took the honours in the seniors, beating Artisan by six yards with hello Dolly in third.

The puppy trail went to Chicharito again but this time he wasn’t such a clear winner, although he had a decent dozen yards or so over Hurry On with Acacia in third.

In the open maidens Barncroft Secret came from third place to get through and beat Baron; and Brannigan by half a length.

There were three very close finishes at Lazonby Fell on Monday. In the senior trail, Mayflower went through the ling with a good lead, but when they came on the finish she had been joined by Silver Spangle, and the two were neck and neck up the last field.

In a desperate battle Silver Spangle just pushed her nose in front to cross the tape the winner. Canny Lass was some 30 yards back in third place.

In the pups the first three were very close at the line, but it was Jenny’s Rascal who was claiming her third win at the expense of Howgill Blondie and Huntsman’s Hero.

Langdale Jack was a whisker in front of Sundown and Simply Rascal in the Open Restricted trail.

The Westmorland Area Committee are keeping their fingers crossed that the weather will be fine for Monday’s May Day trails at Kirkstone, the first major event of the year.

The message from HTA secretary Margaret Baxter is for everybody to follow the instructions about parking.

There will be a Tipster Competition on the day so competitors are asked to write their selections on a piece of paper in trail order (H, M, P, PM, OR) and give it to Margaret with the entry fee of £1 by 1.30 pm.

After a month, the HTA points are as follows:

OR - What Look, Cancellara and Langdale Jack - all on 20 with 2 lives left.

OM - Baron 18, This Is It 17 (both with 1 life left), Jenny’s Dream 17 (2 left)

ONW - Hutton Dandini well in the lead with 12.

Vet - Sensation 16, Sunlight 14.

Teams Div.1: Shauna’s Sugababes 53, Flyin’ Banshees 39, All the Judys 37, Jenny’s Troubles 35, Katy’s Krackers 34, Hunter’s Thorns 28.

Div.11: Shauna’s Sugababes 45, Katy’s Krackers 22, Hunter’s Thorns 17, Eden Rascals and Westgates 12, Jenny’s Troubles and The Searchers 11.

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