By John Walsh

Published at 11:12, Thursday, 17 May 2012

THERE’S close competition in both title races as the HTA season starts to get into full swing with an open look about both championships.

Carole Harrison: with puppy table leader Chicharito after her 7th win at a cold Oulton on Sunday

After Tuesday’s meeting at Oulton Hello Dolly led the senior table with five points from Dairy Diamond and Artisan on four. Sadly, Jacob McClink, who also had four wins to his credit, will not race again after picking-up a serious injury at Kirkstone.

Tagget and Fallen Spring were all close in behind with three wins apiece.

There’s a nice open look to the junior championship, although Chicharito sets a good pace with eight wins and leads from Capetown, Jupiter and Jenny’s Rascal all on five, while Shameless has four.

Tagget could have got closer to the senior leaders with a win at Lamplugh last Wednesday but it was his first appearance at the venue and only managed sixth place. Prominent for a long way Tagget wasn’t seen with a chance of taking the major spoils when they showed on the finish.

Canny Girl and Sweet Pea led the field with Silver Spangle and Desire in behind, but there was no doubt about the best finisher. Once the whistles were on Desire responded really well and rapidly closed the gap before going past the leaders to win by almost three lengths.

The original leading pair continued to battle it out to the line but Sweet Pea was given the nod over Canny Lass for second place.

There were 43 entries for the pups but three of the leaders went the wrong side of the fence and had to be overlooked. It left Is He It and Believe on the right side and they looked to have the race between them.

In fact Ruth Dixon’s Is He It showed the best turn of foot and pulled well clear on the run to the line, finishing a dozen yards in front.

Believe faded and it was Huntsman’s Hero who came through to earn second place with Huntsman’s Hope taking third.

Jenny’s Dream won the open maidens in good style, coming from second place on the descent to beat No Bother by five lengths with Zeddicus in third.

At Kendal on Saturday the improving Langdale Jack, trained for George Birkett by the Bland and Barrow partners, had his first senior win, beating Annie’s Bay and Sparrowmire Jill by a length.

In the pups there was a good finish between Jenny’s Rascal and Capetown but the former just got to the tape in front by a head for her fifth win. These were nicely clear of the winner’s kennel-mate Huntsman’s Hope.

In the open restricted the Pawley, Burrow, Hodgson and Bell partnership’s Destiny was the convincing winner, coming away from Jenny’s Dream, with Rose in third place.

In the veteran trail Halloween sprang a surprise on her connections when coming with the lead and holding off the challenge of Toytown, and the word “Specsavers” was mentioned more than once!

They were also back at Lamplugh on Saturday for a four trail meeting and they were led-off by 39 pups. Wednesday’s winner Is He It had to settle for second place this time as Huntsman’s Hero, who has been running consistently, had too much toe down the hill and won by two lengths. Discard finished third.

Next out were the open maidens with 37 taking part and John Fell’s No Bother, who has been running very consistently, pulled out all the stops to score a narrow win over Grey Owl. The pup Westgate Belle took third place.

Neil McCartney’s Night Shadow came with the lead in the open restricted and held on very well to beat Escala by two lengths with Miterdale One snatching third place from Tinker.

Smallest field at the meeting was in the seniors to conclude the action and when they showed over the top onto the finish Les and Pat Black’s Canny Lass had a handy lead of a dozen yards. There was never any serious threat and she ran on well to collect her first championship success from Silver Spangle and Desire.

At Oulton on Sunday the miserable weather became ever more so as the afternoon wore on.

Enoch, Hello Dolly and Artisan were together in the seniors as they went through along the beck edge and out of sight, but High Challenge was in pursuit, and he made up a lot of ground in the closing stages, coming onto the finish in front.

However, Enoch came strongly up the hill to record her first win of the season for Reg Bell by a couple of lengths, overtaking High Challenge. Hello Dolly and Artisan were third and fourth of the 11 runners..

There was a great race for the pups with Carole Harrison’s table leader Chicharito beating Cracking Moment and Acacia to notch up her seventh success.

There was a close finish in the open maidens but Maurice Bewley’s Lady Agenda was just ahead of Crusader and Rush.

On Monday at Kirkland the May Day trails big race winner Colleen was back in the winner’s enclosure. She was prominent for a long way and she came away on the finish to beat Velvet by 10 yards with Cinnabar some distance back in third as they finished well strung out.

Not so in the pups where there were plenty in with chances and the ticketing youngsters were involved in a virtual blanket finish. Quiet Linnet just got the verdict ahead of Discard with Howgill Blondie in third.

The Puddle Jumper and Celtic Spirit are not noted for their finishing ability but both kept on well this time in the open maidens. It was virtually on the nod with The Puddle Jumper awarded first from Celtic Spirit with Foxparke Homeward Bound third of the 22 runners.

They were at Oulton on Tuesday where Chicharito extended her lead in the puppy championship by taking the junior trail. But the Border bred bitch, by Newman out of Silver Birch had to work hard for the victory.There had been five in with a chance and not far from the line the table leader was headed by Get Up. She showed determination to get back in front and win by half-a-length with Red Rob close-up in third.

In the senior trail Artisan had moved to within a point of Hello Dolly by collecting a fourth win of the season.

Coming from second spot to edge past High Challenge, it was Artisan’s race but only by three quarters of a length. The reigning champion Darling was about 25 yards away in third.

There was a desperately close finish in the open maidens decided by the camera, with Brannigan just managing to see-off Rush by a short head. Meadow Kim finished in third place.

Joe and Vanessa Simpson are giving £50 prize money for a puppy show at Lazonby on June 3 for the Jubilee meeting. Pups are beginning to be seen on trail-fields, so there should be a good response.

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