Cork Draghunting: High Miss returns to winning ways at Mayfield Senior Draghunt

High Miss of Griffin United returned to winning ways with another cracking display of running that yielded victory in the Mayfield Senior Draghunt on Sunday.

In good open running the hounds seemed to handle the terrain well and when they showed on the finish there were a few in with a chance of victory as the tape beckoned.

When the call went up the winner showed her class and just had about had enough in the locker to see off the brave challenge of the John O’Callaghan Northern Hunt trained Ashcroft.

The Gary and Nicole Freyne Clogheen trained Not now May ran a fine draghunt to secure third ticket with Authentic, Not Now Al and Knockane Jack concluding the placed hounds.

There is little doubt Little Miss is a hound close in the heart of her trainer Donal O’Donovan and that was clear to see after the draghunt.

“To win the Senior All-Ireland Draghunt last season was something I will never forget and in a nutshell High Miss is a hound that I am so privileged and honoured to train,” said Donal O’Donovan.

In the Senior Maiden draghunt there was joy for Shanakiel Harriers trainer Barry O’Keeffe when his charge Border Mystery won his first draghunt of the season.

In another tight finish the winner had to show all his battling qualities to see off the Gary and Nicole Clogheen-trained Not now Betty.

Shanakiel Harrier trainer Gerry Murphy filled third and fourth tickets with Mexican Jet and Kempest with Casey Jack and The Dreamer concluding the ticketing hounds.

For the winning trainer it was a good day at the office.

“Delighted with the win as Border Mystery showed decent potential as a pup and as a trainer you always want to see them progress with a win in the Senior grade,” said Barry.

The Puppy meeting on Saturday was a true test of stamina for the young hounds. There was joy for Kerry Pike/Fair Hill trainer Tristan Herlihy and his children Jayden, Olivia and Ben and his partner Tim O’Callaghan, when their charge Starlight landed the spoils.

Reports from the various vantage points suggest the hounds checked and only eight managed to complete the course.

When the hounds showed on the finish the winner had a slight lead and on the race to the tape showed a good turn of foot to win from the William Freyne and Ryan Duffy Clogheen trained Putting on the Style.

The same kennel also secured third ticket with One Day at a Time.

Speaking after the draghunt Tristan Herlihy who is also joint chairman of the Cork Association couldn’t hide his delight in securing his first win of the season.

“It’s great particularly when your kids love the sport and credit to my hound he stuck to the hunt and did the business coming home in front,” said Tristan.

The draghunting action will continue next weekend when the Michael O’Mahony Memorial Meeting will take place at Blackpool on Easter Monday with a scheduled 4pm slip.

Condolences of the Cork Association go to the family of John Field, a former member of Owenabue Harriers, best known for his class hound Rosebud who sadly passed away last week.

Results 

Mayfield Senior: 1. High Miss (Griffin United); 2. Ashcroft (Northern Hunt); 3. Not now May (Clogheen); 4. Authentic (Northern Hunt); 5. Not now Al (Clogheen); 6. Knockane Jack (Southern/Carrigaline harriers).

Senior Maiden: 1. Border Mystery (Shanakiel harriers); 2. Not now Betty (Clogheen); 3. Mexican Jet (Shanakiel harriers); 4. Kempest (Shanakiel harriers); 5. Casey Jack (Southern/Carrigaline harriers); 6. The Dreamer (Shanakiel harriers).

Puppy: 1. Starlight (Fair Hill/Kerry Pike harriers); 2. Putting on the Style (Clogheen); 3. One Day at a Time (Clogheen); 4. Fireball (Kerry Pike/Fair Hill harriers); 5. Black Paddy (Shanakiel harriers); 6. Gypsy Ghost (Northern Hunt).