by John Walsh

Published at 11:07, Thursday, 16 August 2012

THERE’S no stopping the Bland and Barrow kennel as they completed a Produce double at Latrigg Tops on Saturday.

Latrigg Tops: Sponsor Rodney Roper and grandson Jonah with the puppy maiden prize-winners – Jimmy Brown, Howgill Benella, Mayhem, Thorn Dolly, Keystone. Missing is Red Rob

The delayed Bitch Produce Stakes was the centre-piece of the HTA Premier Trails and Jenny’s Rascal scored for Jenny Bland, after litter brother Huntsman’s Hope had won the Dog Produce trail back in June.

Jenny’s Rascal sprinted up the finish to beat Capetown by ten lengths with Westgate Belle back in third.

It was part of a terrific treble on the day for the Patterdale kennel. Huntsman’s Hope continued to fly the flag after his Dog Produce success with comfortable win over Huntsman’s Heroin the Open Puppy trail. Is He It finished in third place.

The opening salvo for the kennel had come in the senior maidens as Jenny’s Supreme overtook Wattmore coming up the hill for a two-length victory, with Momento a close third.

There was a good crowd and the first race produced a great finish with Christine Brownlee’s Momentum just a length in front of Gentle Lady at the line. These two had 25 yards over Sparrowmire Jill.

The new trophy given by Rodney Roper and family for the puppy maidens went to Jimmy Brown, who is trained for Keith Robinson by Ian and Ann Bell, and kennel-mate Howgill Benella was a length behind in second, with Mayhem in third.

The very-competitive open restricted trail rounded off the day, and it was won in good style by Gordon Tinnion’s Quiet Swallow, ahead of two consistent veterans, Toytown and Dairy Singer.

The presentation for the first two trails was made by Alasdair McVitie, a keen supporter from Galashiels, while Rodney Roper did the honours for the other four races.

Afterwards HTA Chairman Barry Laidler said: “The Committee would like to thank the Keswick area for hosting the Premier trails, incorporating the Bitch Produce.

“There’s a special thanks to the three trailers ‘Spike’, Stanley and Mike; Christine for the raffle; Jim and Julie for the entries and Eric for the “gate.” He even tried to charge visitors who used the field as an overflow car park.

“We want to give a special thanks to Millcroft Vets and Rodney Roper for their sponsorship and also to all who helped on the day. It was a pity, that due to a set of circumstances that arose in the Bitch Produce, some people couldn’t apply a modicum of common sense.”

There was a modest entry of 19 for the Latrigg Tipster Competition. Winners are Lynn Pawley 23, Stephen Irving 21, Russ Dawson 20.

Leaders in the Top Tipster are: Jane Laidler 67, Dean & Lucy 58, James Oldcorn 55, Dean Pepper 51, Jayne Petersen 50, Ann Bell 48.

Meanwhile hound trail followers who are intending to go to Grasmere Sports can buy tickets at a discounted price of £5 from Barry.

Several of the hounds that were prominent at Latrigg Top had also figured prominently at Buttermere on Tuesday.

Momentum was always among the leaders and he was there on the run to the line, just managing to hold off Thorn Girl by a length with Minerva, a kennelmate of the winner, in third place.

Bitch Produce winner Jenny’s Rascal had moved closer to leader Chicharito with a very impressive win in the junior trail.

She was comfortably clear at the line but there was a good battle for second place before Howgill Blondie just got the better of Thorn Dolly right on the line.

In the open restricted there was a good finish as Jenny’s Dream, looking set to complete a kennel double, was reeled in by the fast-finishing Tinker. Da Look took third.

On Wednesday, the action was at Crag Farm where Fallen Spring won comfortably again, going clear of Cinnabar with Sawdust a fair way back in third.

The kennel missed out on the double, though, for Serenity beat Wistlo Spring and Valiant.

Kelton Croft is getting the message now and followed up a course win on Monday with another in the open maidens: The further they raced the further Kelton Croft pulled away and had about 100 yards on runner-up Keystone at the line with Take a Look in third.

There were two meetings on Thursday with Ings and Dean providing the venues.

Huntsman’s Dazzler has a great record in Show trails and he was to the fore again, coming home well clear at Ings to take the seniors by a distance. Runner-up Sparrowmire Jill was also a long way ahead of the third Cinnabar.

Three pups showed with a chance in the junior race and Alex and Jackie Steele were celebrating as Cinders made her first mark on the Championship ladder. Howgill Blonde was a length away in second while Shameless was third.

The Blands – Denise and Jenny, along with Denis, clearly have their kennel buzzing and Jenny’s Supreme made it another Patterdale double by winning the open maidens, albeit narrowly from Courtesy with Momento in third.

Jenny’s Supreme completed a winning double for the Bland’s when just holding off the challenge from Courtesy with Momento not too far adrift in third.

In the other meeting at Dean the senior championship leader Dairy Diamond added to his tally with another win, this time over Artisan and Silver Spangle in a field of 12.

Puppy table leader Chicharito has stalled for a while at the top as Jenny’s Rascal closes up, and she could only manage third behind Endeavour and Get Up. Erin’s Lass took the open restricted from Escala and Snow Peak.

There were also two meetings on Monday at Calebreak and also at Wasdale Head.

The promised rain failed to materialise, and it was a pleasant and well-attended meeting at Calebreak, with all three trails ending in nail-biting finishes.

In the seniors four hounds came down the fell in a group, with Stanley and Carole Jackson’s Colleen coming to the front over the last boggy stretch. However, her kennel-mate Corinna wasn’t having that, and got up right on the tape to win her fifth trail by a neck, with Artisan ten lengths back in third.

Again, in the pups there were four in the mix, and a tremendous race developed between Canny Girl and Jenny’s Rascal. It was Canny Girl who finished just half a length in front over the tape to give Les and Pat Black’s bitch her third success. Get Up and Assert were just a few lengths back in third and fourth.

In the open maidens previous course winner Cracking Performer came in front and almost held on, just pipped on the line by Paul and Jo Airey and Brian and Caroline Seward’s Meadow Kim. Stand On was third, making a welcome return to the tickets after a nasty foot injury.

At Wasdale Head there was a Brownlee one-two in the senior trail as Victor’s Mayflower was a good winner over daughter Christine’s Minerva with Matador in third. In the pups Is He It finished best of all, coming from third place to get through and win well from Sental and Miterdale Torment.

There was an interesting finish to the open maidens as David Crow’s pair showed over the final obstacle. Waltzing Matilda had the lead but Come Home Alfie got the better of his kennelmate on the run to the line. Roulette was in third.Sean Pirie likes Wasdale for his charges and had another win in the open restricted with Celtic Brave who finished a long way clear of Pip’s Lad with Thorn Girl; in third.

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