WESTMORLAND area hounds claimed their fair share of the prize money at the May Day meeting at Grange-in-Borrowdale, traditionally the first major trails of the season.

A good crowd was treated to five exciting races and Nick and Tricia Wilson were delighted when their charge Howe Bess earned the red rosette in the puppy maiden event. The Troutbeck-based youngster has performed with consistency during the opening month of the campaign and was well-fancied to figure prominently.

The bitch hound, co-owned by Roger Westmorland, was up with the pace throughout and came with a tremendous run in the final field, moving up from third to deny Lady of War and Devon View by half a length.

The Graham Thornton-trained Due South put in a similar performance in the senior maiden trail. The Warton-based hound also finished well to come through from third and claim the winner's purse by ten yards.

Beachwood Howe and Courtney were second and third respectively and these three had drawn clear of the field.

Due South, owned by Stan Heywood and Penny Swanton, is in good form at present and was also in winning ways over home territory the previous Tuesday.

The four-year-old justified favouritism when strolling clear to win in good style from Ace of Clubs and Lollypop.

Earlier in the afternoon, at Borrowdale, the senior championship leader, Melody scored for the seventh time this season.

Victor Brownlee and Eric Cockbain's three-year-old was headed by Checkout on the descent from the fell to the finish, but rallied gamely in the closing stages to take the honours by five lengths.

Watt Next was second and Checkout faded to finish third.

The puppy trail developed into a duel between Ricky Deacon's litter sisters and kennel-mates, Gypsy and Jodie.

After a tremendous battle on the fell where the lead changing hands, Gypsy gained the upper hand on the run to the line, surging ahead to triumph by a couple of lengths.

It was the Cockermouth-based youngsters 11th win of the season and took it two points clear of Blackthorn at the top of the table.

The final event of the day was an open restricted and Billy Birkett and Peter Chambers' Some Man put in a tremendous performance to repeat its win the same grade at the corresponding fixture last season. The Little Broughton-based four-year-old tracked the leaders and took the lead close home, maintaining its run to hold off solid challenges from both Baby Jane and Bant's Star, which were second and third respectively.

Arthur and Irene Temple's Dairy Dancer kept its 100 per cent winning record at Warton by impressively winning the senior honours.

The Holmrook youngster won on every appearance at the venue last season in puppy trails and the two-year-old made its debut senior run a winning one, taking up the lead on the second half of the trail and coming home well clear of Sunny Bay and Award.

Oxenholme's Steve and Val Proctor and Harold Pearson turned out both the first and second placed hounds in the puppy trail.

Trinidad, co-owned by Donny and Mabel Bewick, looked the comfortable winner approaching the final fence but hesitated and allowed Tobago to breeze through and record its third open win of the season. These two had stolen a march on their rivals and Sparrowmire Amy was nearest to the pair at the line.

Tobago and Trinidad were then routed to Lazonby on Saturday and they each earned second place in their respective races.

The former chased Margaret Wintrip's Brave Knight home in the puppy trail.

The Morpeth youngster moved onto the nine-win mark and consolidated third place in the championship race when leading from start to finish and winning by a comfortable margin.

Trinidad lead for most of the way in the open non winners event, but was finally overhauled in the final 20 yards by Margaret Baxter and Jan Tyson's Drekagil which went on to win by half a length.

Thursday's action took place at Pooley Bridge and Sparrowmire Amy again figured prominently in the puppy trail, on this occasion taking second place behind Reg Smith and Stan Heywood's April Lady.

The Kendal-based youngster produced a tremendous run in the closing stages and gained a few yards advantage climbing out of the gully on the finish, going on to register its second success within five days in good style.

Glenis Farren and Gail Nicholson's Miss Patsie continued to make good progress in the senior championship and moved on to the five win mark courtesy of a 20-yard victory over Allegro and Banshee.

The Arlecdon four-year-old was runner-up last season to Melody but kept to within two points of its rival, which failed to add to its tally when finishing third at Threlkeld on Tuesday.

There was a close finish in the open restricted at Pooley Bridge, Bob Johnstone's Eden Return (formerly Lady Kate) gettng the verdict from Langdale Rover and Super Hero.

Results: Warton Tuesday. Seniors: 1 Dairy Dancer; 2 Sunny Bay; 3 Award; 4 Tiger Bay; 5 Iestyn; 6 Sandy Bay. 6 ran. Time 25.37. Juniors: 1 Tobago; 2 Trinidad; 3 Sparrowmire Amy; 4 Goldee; 5 Dairy Light; 6 Mill Dawn. 8 ran. Time 17.14. Open Maidens: 1 Due South; 2 Ace of Clubs; 3 Lollypop; 4 Galileo; 5 Roman; 6 Damsel. 13 ran. Time 16.13.

Pooley Bridge Thursday. Seniors: 1 Miss Patsie; 2 Allegro; 3 Banshee; 4 Seven Nights; 5 Ashmore; 6 Cracking Performance. 25 ran. Time 26.57. Juniors: 1 April Lady; 2 Sparrowmire Amy; 3 Marta; 4 Howe Bess; 5 Blackthorn; 6 Black and Tan. 38 ran. Time 18.33. Open Restricted: 1 Eden Return; 2 Langdale Rover; 3 Super Hero; 4 Marigold; 5 Ned Pepper; 6 Hindsight. 27 ran. Time 19.08.

May Day Meeting Grange-in-Borrowdale. Seniors: 1 Melody; 2 Watt Next; 3 Checkout; 4 One More Round; 5 Ben Lomond; 6 Medici. 14 ran. Maidens: 1 Due South; 2 Beachwood Howe; 3 Courtney; 4 Maisy; 5 West Croft; 6 Whitmore. 22 ran. Time 29.06. Juniors: 1 Gypsy; 2 Jodie; 3 Penfold Skye; 4 Loch Lomond; 5 Arctic Quest; 6 Cindy. 17 ran. Time 16.40. Junior Maidens: 1 Howe Bess; 2 Lady of War; 3 Devon View; 4 White Amorn; 5 Windfall; 6 Langdale Star. 25 ran. Time 18.20. Open Restricted: 1 Some Man; 2 Baby Jane; 3 Bant's Star; 4 Quiet Valentine; 5 Arctic Owl; 6 Marcia. 42 ran. Time 17.00.

Fixtures: Saturday: Lamplugh (P,OR,H,M) 1pm; Gamelsby (H,P,ONW,OR) 5.30pm.

Monday: Kirkland Leaps (H,P,OR) 6.30pm.

Tuesday: Oulton (H,P,OM) 6.30pm Wednesday: Kirkland Leaps (H,P,OR) 6.30pm Thursday: Sawrey (H,P,OR) 6pm.