Cork Draghunting: Not Now May is puppy champion
Martin Wall and Jase Green with Wolfe Tone Lass, winner of the Shanakiel Harriers Senior Draghunt at Kilbrittain.
Following her incredible season Not Now May was crowned champion Puppy following her latest win at Kilbrittain in the Shanakiel Harriers Draghunt.
Trained by Gary and Nicole Freyne the Clogheen hound has been ultra-consistent and despite a good start she lost a little form midway through the campaign before finishing the season in style when she needed to secure crucial points.
In a season where the form of the puppy grade has been inconsistent, there is little doubt Not Now May deserved to win the title.
In another good test in preparation for Sunday’s Puppy All-Ireland at Rylane the hounds took over 24 minutes to complete a good open course.
The winner led into the last field and in the race to the tape held off the strong challenge of Knockane Jack from Ger and Jennifer Kenneally’s Southern/Carrigaline kennel.
Samantha’s Meg ran another fine draghunt to fill third ticket with Ozzie T, Slievemish Lord and Buccaneer filling the minor tickets.
The champion is out of Slievemish Spring/Mrs Briggs litter and was bred by Mary Barrett and the winning trainer Gary Freyne paid tribute to his hound as well as dedicating the title win to a former Clogheen supporter.
“It has been a good season for all our hounds and to have a hound from a young age to set it off and then see it turn into a champion is a great feeling my wife Nicole and I not forgetting my father Joe who is always there to help.
“Many great men have passed away from our great club, but I would like to dedicate my championship win to Michael (Mickey) Wade who sadly left is in recent months but was always a true friend to us,” Gary Freyne said.
In the Senior race Wolfe Tone Lass of Northern Hunt produced another sterling performance to win from last week’s winner Sean T of Griffin United.
In another draghunt that required stamina and endurance the Ger and Jennifer Kenneally trained Zodiac Jack snatched third ticket with the remaining places going to Eagle T, High Miss and Ashcroft.
Championship leader Blue Daisy failed to ticket and now her lead at the top of the championship has been reduced to seven points by Sean T with the title to be decided on Senior All-Ireland day at Ballyclough on Sunday, September 29.
Speaking after the draghunt, winning trainer Martin Wall praised the performance of his hound.
“Wolfe Tone Lass is presently showing great form and we can now look forward to the Senior All Ireland as distance will not bother her,” Wall said.
In the Senior Maiden Draghunt the John Crowley Griffin United-trained Danganmore Drifter showed great courage to see off the Denise Rall-trained Mayfield hound Magic’s Beauty.
The aptly named No One Want’s Me of Griffin United snatched third ticket ahead of White Shark, High Maintenance and Knock’s Boy.
1. Not Now May (Clogheen); 2. Knockane Jack (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 3. Samantha’s Meg (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 4. Ozzie T (Griffin United); 5. Slievemish Lord (Clogheen); 6. Buccaneer (Northern Hunt).
1. Wolfe Tone Lass (Northern Hunt); 2. Sean T (Griffin United); 3. Zodiac Jack (Southern/Carrigaline Harriers); 4. Eagle T (Griffin United); 5. High Miss (Griffin United); 6. Ashcroft (Northern Hunt).
1. Danganmore Drifter (Griffin United); 2. Magic’s Beauty (Mayfield); 3. No One Want’s Me (Griffin United); 4. White Shark (Griffin United); 5. High Maintenance (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill Harriers; 6. Knock’s Boy (Griffin United).
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