by John Walsh

Published at 11:09, Thursday, 31 May 2012

ASPATRIA and Wigton Area will break new ground next month when they host the prestigious Dog Produce meeting on a Sunday.

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It will be the first time that one of the HTA’s major trails has been taken off its traditional Saturday date.

This time the Dog Produce will be staged at Ward Hall on June 10, and other Areas will be given the chance to stage major meetings on a Sunday.

The Executive Committee gave an option for Aspatria and Wigton Area to stage the meeting on a Sunday after being approached about the possibility.

Because they have changed the rule mid-season it will have to be considered by the rank and file at the HTA’s agm next February.

Chairman Barry Laidler said: “Times have changed since the rule was fixed in the fifties so all the members of the Executive Committee were canvassed about their views and it was agreed to give permission for the Dog Produce to be staged on the Sunday if the hosting Area so decided.

“Keswick Area stage the Bitch Produce and they will also have an option. I don’t think they are so keen on the Sunday but as the Saturday date clashes with Carlisle Races they will have the opportunity if they so desire.”

Ward Hall was used for a couple of meetings last season but is close to Grange Grassings, which will be more familiar to trail-goers.

We go back to last Tuesday to look at the first Rusland trails when there were 15 slipped for the seniors.

When they reached the business end of the race four of them had opened-up a very long lead over their rivals. But the battle for first developed into a straight match between Della and Langdale Jack as they started to draw away from Valhalla and Huntsman’s Dazzler.

When they reached the last field Della started to assert and went on to collect her first win of the season by a good ten yards with Langdale Jack second and Valhalla coming late to pip Dazzler for third.

Jenny’s Rascal was always prominent in the puppy trail and in the end, despite wandering off line, pulled away from her rivals to win well. Howgill Black Magic was second and Misty Bay put in a strong finish to take third place.

Jenny Bland completed the double in the open maidens, although it was a shared triumph as Jenny’s Dream dead heated with Wattmore in a field of 25 runners.

The pair had opened-up the advantage along with Tinkerbell but the finish really only concerned the main two and a long look in the camera couldn’t separate them, so dead heat was the decision.

The Pawley, Burrow, Hodgson and Bell partnership also completed a double when their bitch Destiny won the open restricted. It wasn’t plain sailing because she had tracked Toytown for much of the way and made a mess of the last fence but responded really well as she went on to win by three lengths.

Long-time leader Toytown eventually had to settle for third behind Cancellara.

Low Place had the Wednesday evening sport to itself and the seniors was won comfortably by Velvet, reveling in the glorious conditions. Canny Lass qwas unable to get in anything like a blow at the runaway winner but took second from Colleen.

Serenity is putting together a nice sequence of victories and was also a clear-cut winner in the pups, racing clear of litter brother Sental with Rumours in third.

Black Poppy appeared to have work on her hands when she had Tinker for company coming into the closing stages. But the expected strong challenge evaporated and Black Poppy went on to beat Malinda by 20 yards. Tinker faded into fourth with Gifted grabbing third.

It was back to Rusland on Thursday 48 hours after the opening meeting of the season over the course.

But there weren’t any repeat winners. Della did her best in the senior trail, coming with a late rattle but she couldn’t get to Huntsman’s Echo who went on to score his first senior victory. Destiny, who had taken the open restricted on Tuesday, finished in third.

Tuesday’s puppy trail winner Jenny’s Rascal was made favourite to repeat her victory but despite being prominent throughout was beaten on the run-in. She had to concede the advantage near home to Canny Girl who won by three lengths. Howgill Blondie took third.

Jordan’s Tyke came out best in a small field of eight open restricted. Showing with a handy lead he had his work cut-out to hold-off the fast-finishing Hilly’s Cruiser. Gigolo was in third.

In the veterans three hounds came onto the finish together and it was Bowderdale Billy who proved to be the stronger on the run to the line, going away to beat his two rivals Toytown and Sunlight.

There were also trails at Bridekirk on Thursday night and the seniors brought together two of the leading contenders for championship honours, along with the reigning champion – Dairy Diamond, Artisan and Darling.

It was Dairy Diamond who emerged successful, coming away smoothly to beat surprise package Thorn Girl with Darling in third. Artisan was out of the tickets.

Chicarito was made favourite for the puppy trail but faced some stiff opposition snd, in fact, was not in the first six where it mattered.

Shameless showed with a handy lead and was always comfortable on the run to the line, although Out of the Blue lived up to her name, zooming from sixth place into second. Overwater Harry was in third.

There was a tidy gamble in the non-winners where Erin’s Lass didn’t let the money hold her down, racing home a good winner from Thorn Dolly and Stand On.

In the open restricted White Diamond just had too much for Hunter’s Rose and Da Look on the finish.

At Oulton on Saturday Escala had her first senior win when beating Enoch and No Bother very narrowly indeed after the three were closely matched on the uphill finish. They were a long way clear of Levi.

Acacia and Chicharito were neck and neck all the way up in the pups, but Acacia was just the stronger over the final yards, winning her fifth puppy trail by three lengths. Eden Rosa was a good third.

Easiest winner of the day was in the open maidens, when Our Vic beat run Don’t Walk and Hey Jude by 50 yards. Our Vic is owned by the O’Brien family, and they also claimed fourth place with Maggie May. The kennel is in good form as Repeal won the open maidens over the same course four days previously.

The other Saturday meeting was at Kirkland where Velvet got favourite backers off to a good start by taking the opening senior trail.

She won very easily in the end as her main rival in the closing stages, Canny Lass, stopped in the ghyll and a scale earlier had cost Desire and Matador any chance of taking the main honours. Jet Rose came on to get second ahead of Canny Lass.

Out of the Blue has been putting in some eye-catching performances of late but she needed a slice of luck to record her first puppy victory.

The two in front, Canny Girl and Huntsman’s Hero, both stopped on the run to the line and just wouldn’t get going again. Although Out of the Blue looked as though she might join them, she resisted the temptation and carried on up the run-in to score well.

Sental and Is He It took second and third while Canny Girl eventually stirred herself and got home in sixth.

In the open restricted trail the three leaders showed together in the last field but Night Shadow had most in reserve and left the other two, Ramblin’ Rose and Delahoya to win by seven or eight lengths.

At Kendal on Sunday the heat-wave continued and the hard ground kept senior entries down.

The three runners took their time, but got round, and there was an easy second win for Langdale Jack, with Brevity and Kerrymore following him home.

A blanket finish to the well-run puppy trail brought a first and well-deserved win for Howgill Blondie, who has been among the tickets regularly. Fram came from fourth place on the whistle, just failing to catch the winner, with Shameless and Freya also very close.

Freebie was the very comfortable winner of the open maidens. Halloween was coming second, but she threw in the towel coming out of the dip. Wattmore came on well to rake the runners-up slot ahead of Hilly’s Cruiser and Sooty Tern.

In the open restricted trail, kennel-mates Cannavaro and Cancellara were first and third, separated by Toytown. Cannavaro had a good 50 yards lead at the tape.

The trails were back at Kirkland Leaps on Monday but the continued hot weather cut the entries down considerably. The hounds in all three trails were affected by the heat and finished well strung out.

Only three contested the senior trail and Velvet won very easily from Matador who had an even bigger advantage over the third, Cinnabar.

Out of the Blue continues to impress, finishing very well to take the puppy trail with lots in hand but the rest were labouring as Rumours took second from Discard.

The three leaders in the open restricted Delahoya, Black Poppy and Red Pike were all slowing down as they approached the line but they went past in that order.

They were at Dean on Tuesday when Tarantino just got up to beat Hot Flush in the seniors when only three of the four runners got round.

Connections of Hot Flush were probably relieved as their charge is a maiden but they followed up in the actual maiden trail when Sawdust won nicely from the all-out Brad the Lad with Our Vic in third.

Chicharita didn’t help herself in the puppy trail, making heavy weather of the final obstacle and that allowed Cracking Moment to gain mastery and win by three yards.

The finish of the puppy maidens was a tight affair with Ling Fell just edging-out Stand On with Keystone close-up in third.

Just a look ahead, I can tell you the Olympic Torch will pass the Grasmere trail-field on Thursday, June 21. It will travel in a vehicle from Keswick, and be transferred to the first Grasmere torch-bearer just outside the field at 5.38. There will probably be congestion on the roads, so trail followers are advised to get there early.

All her many friends send their very best wishes to Yvonne Wilson, who is in hospital after a serious operation. Yvonne trains and co-owns Capetown and Toytown, which are in the capable hands of husband Alan. Get well soon, Yvonne!

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