Blue Lad wins the Northern Hunt senior draghunt at Monard

A season best performance ensured Blue Lad won his first ever Senior draghunt when landing the spoils at the Northern Hunt meet at Monard.

The winner has been running well all season as is consistently in the ticketing hounds but on this occasion he at last had his moment of glory.

Trained by Trina and Ken Long of Southern/Carrigaline Harriers the winner crossed the tape ahead of the IHT hound Northern Belle with the Gerry Murphy trained also filling third with Guinness.

The Thomas, Pa and Chole Murray Shanakiel Harriers trained Time Will Tell snatched fourth ticket with Jase Star and Viper Whizz completing the remaining placed hounds.

Race favourite Slievemish Spring of Clogheen led the majority of the draghunt but after looking a winner at the last vantage point failed to figure on the finish.

For the winning training connections it was an evening to savour.

“We are delighted for our hound as he consistently runs his heart out and the wait has been worth it as he is a pleasure to train,” said Trina Long.

The Southern/Carrigaline Harriers lady is also Treasurer of the Cork City and County Harriers association and has been involved in the sport for many years with father Paddy and husband Ken.

In the Senior Maiden draghunt there was joy for IHT trainer Gerry Murphy when his charge Northern Daisy got up in the shadow of the tape to pip the Aaron Freyne Clogheen trained Jamie’s Gem.

In a good race to the Kieran Kearney’s Maxine Silver of Shanakiel Harriers finished well to take third place with the winning trainer also filling fourth with Northern Jess ahead of Rock on Boy and Dublin Hill Lass.

The Gerry Murphy and Sheila Cummins partnership are consistently among the tickets in the various grades and this was another welcome win for the west Cork kennel.

Murphy said: “We are delighted in the manner our hounds are running and Northern Daisy had to show true grit on the finish before gaining a well-earned win.

“We love the sport and with the amount of hounds that Sheila and I have its great to be rewarded with a win from time to time.” 

It has been the announced that the Singleton’s SuperValu Donal O’Mahony memorial draghunt will take place at Blarney on Sunday August 28.

The carnival atmosphere on this day is always a special one and the work will begin shortly in getting the course organised.

It is worth noting the work that Clogheen stalwart Michael John Buckley and Kenneth Lynch have put in serious work for the past 23 years is intriguing and many thanks go to both men who have a wonderful relationship with the farming community in this region.

Speaking about the his sponsorship to this great day Tomas Singleton praised the loyalty of the draghunting fraternity in keeping this great event alive.

Tomas said: “I was amazed last year when the saw the amount of children and adults at Blarney and for me help keeping Cork’s oldest outdoor sport alive is very important.” 

Results 

Monard Senior: 

1. Blue Lad (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 2. Northern Belle (IHT); 3. Guinness (IHT); 4. Time Will Tell (Shanakiel Harriers); 5. Jase Star (Mayfield); 6. Viper Whizz (Clogheen).

Senior Maiden: 

1. Northern Daisy (Northern Hunt); 2. Jamie’s Gem (Clogheen); 3. Maxine Silver (Shanakiel Harriers); 4. Northern Jess (IHT); 5. Rock on Boy (Shanakiel Harriers); 6. Dublin Hill Lass (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers).