Mayfield Harriers hosted the first meet as the Cork draghunting season resumed

IT was a magnificent weekend for the Southern/Carrigaline Harriers father and son training partnership of Dave and Damien Kidney as they completed a Senior and Puppy double at the Mayfield Harriers annual meet.

The sport was having his first meeting since March 15 and in the Senior draghunt the fresh hounds set a ferocious pace from start to finish.

When the hounds came into view the winner, Samantha’s Lass, showed a tremendous burst of speed to cross the tape a worthy winner.

The camera had to separate the second and third places with the verdict going to John O’Keeffe’s Shanakiel Harriers stalwart, Border Lad.

Clogheen trainer Damien Wade will be happy with the performance of his young hound, Slievemish Spring, who finished third with Conor’s Jack, Authority and Concord filling the minor tickets.

Naturally the winning kennel were in jubilant mood: “It is hard enough to win one draghunt but to win two makes it very special weekend and hopefully we can build on these successes,” said Dave Kidney.

In the Senior Maiden draghunt there was a popular winner when the Monica Walsh and James Greene trained Star Man of Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers landed the spoils.

The winner crossed the tape a comfortable winner from the Barry O’Sullivan. Shanakiel Harriers-trained, Mossgrove Lazy, with the Ryan Duffy and William Freyne ace, Jazzy Whizz of Clogheen, snatching third ticket.

Indeed the same kennel was involved in the minor tickets with Viper Whizz in fourth place ahead of Northern Belle and Comet.

The action began on Saturday at the same venue when Mayfield Harriers hosted their annual Puppy draghunt.

The weather worsened as the day went on and the hounds and trainers had to encounter wet conditions.

Thankfully reports from the various vantage points suggested the hounds were driving the hunt at pace and when they showed on the finish there were a few in with a chance of landing the spoils.

The Timmy McCarthy Kerry Pike/Fair Hill youngster, Sheares Park Bring it On, looked to have a reasonable chance but veered off a straight line and eventually had to be content with third ticket.

However the honours went to the Dave and Damien Kidney-trained, Samantha’s Rose, of Southern/Carrigaline Harriers who showed an excellent turn of foot to cross the tape ahead of Clogheen youngster, Jamie’s Gem, trained by Aaron Freyne of Clogheen.

Sheares Park Has to be Heard made it a reasonable day for trainer Timmy McCarthy when snatching fourth ticket ahead of clubmate, Star Boy, from James Greene kennel with River Lane Lass of Griffin United concluding the ticketing hounds.

MAYFIELD RESULTS

Senior: 1. Samantha’s Lass (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 2. Border Lad (Shanakiel Harriers); 3. Slievemish Spring (Clogheen); 4. Conor’s Jack (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 5. Authority (Northern Hunt); 6. Concord (Griffin United).

Senior Maiden: 1. Star Man (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 2. Mossgrove Lazy (Shanakiel Harriers); 3. Jazzy Whizz (Clogheen); 4. Viper Whizz (Clogheen); 5. Northern Belle (IHT); 6. Comet (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers).

Puppy: 1. Samantha’s Rose (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 2. Jamie’s Gem (Clogheen); 3. Sheares Park Bring it On (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 4. Sheares Park Has to be Heard (Kerry Pike/ Fair Hill Harriers); 5. Star Boy (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers); 6. River Lane Lass (Griffin United).