GREY Abbey has a mystery joint swelling and may miss the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival, while Howard Johnson's jockey Graham Lee broke his collarbone as we went to press last Thursday.

In addition, Tony Dobbin has a ban which prevents him riding on Sunday, so the Crook trainer is short of a rider for Inglis Drever, entered in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell, but more likely to go to Wincanton tomorrow if the trainer can find a jockey.

But not all is bad news for the Johnson team. Things finally came good again on Wednesday when none other than Timmy Murphy made the journey north to Musselburgh for his first visit and, wearing the Graham and Andrea Wylie beige and black silks, landed a double.

Galero won a point to point last year and a Catterick hurdles last time, but looked even better in the novices' handicap hurdle here. "This horse is going to be a chaser and whatever he does this season is a bonus," said Graham Wylie.

Credit followed up in the juvenile hurdle later. The winning team said he wasn't in the Triumph Hurdle and is more likely to go to Aintree, as he needed a flat track.

At the course, Johnson reported that his Pillar Chase hero, Grey Abbey, had a joint which has kept swelling up ever since that victory. It had been x-rayed and scanned and the vets couldn't find anything wrong. He will not risk the favourite in the Gold Cup "unless we are completely happy with him."

Akilak, part-owned by Newcastle captain Alan Shearer, was in good form, Johnson said, and may go straight to the Triumph Hurdle without another prep race and may miss tomorrow's Victor Ludorum at Haydock. Royal Rosa may also swerve Haydock's Pertemps Handicap Hurdle for the Rendlesham at Kempton next Friday.

Of course, Lee was not available last weekend for his usual Saturday big race double for Johnson - and the trainer's substitutes did not bring it off. At Newbury, Tony Dobbin substituted on Arcalis in the totesport.com Novices' Hurdle and was a respectable third.

Valley Henry, winner of the Aon Chase two years ago, was quite fancied to take it again. Barry Geraghty had the ride and the pair ran promisingly for some way until weakening after the 13th, finishing sixth. Valley Henry will improve for this outing, though.

Malcolm Jefferson and jockey Fergus King, whose Roman Ark was all the ante-post rage in Newbury's totesport Trophy Hurdle on Saturday but could only finish ninth, warmed up and encouraged their supporters the day before by winning at Bangor with Polar Gunner.

Not until Newcastle on Tuesday did our area get more than one daily winner, and most of the week saw Flat winners, not jumpers. However, Gosforth Park had no fewer than four.

John Quinn's Don't Call Me Derek made it two from two in novices' hurdles when taking the opener under Russ Garritty, easing down. Runner-up and eye-catching was Mrs Edith Kettlewell's Blue Rising (Brian Harding), trained for her at Wynbury, her home with her husband Bill, by Ferdy Murphy.

The hunter chase had "two" winners. The Butterwick Kid under Richard Tate and trained by his father, Tom Tate, passed the post first well clear of his field, but he had taken the wrong course at a bypassed jump and was disqualified.

The race was awarded to Red Rampage (bred, incidentally by Norman Mason), partnered by Philip Kinsella and trained at Stillington by Harry Hogarth.

The two McGraths, Richard and Larry, won respectively for Keith Reveley on Time Marches On and Richard Guest on Assumetheposition. The latter won by two lengths from the Chris Fairhurst-trained Ringside Jack (Niall Hannity), bred and owned by the Mike Grace gang at Ellinstring, which should win soon.

Richard Guest was again praised by owner Paul Beck when Ghadames won at Leicester on Wednesday, an all-chase card. This followed up last week's Sedgefield victory and Beck said: "I keep saying it, but Guesty has worked his magic again."

Sean Fox's mount jumped well, save for the last, and has Festival entries in the Mildmay of Flete and Grand Annual, but the owner said: "I think he'll win another race before then." He nearly had a double, as his York Rite, also trained by Guest, was only just headed later.

Musselburgh rounded off our week with multiple winners for our area. Alan Swinbank had his first jumps winner since November with Far Pavilions, Jim Crowley up.

Edwin Tuer's yard is clearly in form and Arctic Moss (JP McNamara) made it three wins from four races in the bumper. Morden permit holder John Wade won with Ryminster, Paddy Aspell riding.

Looking at Haydock's entries tomorrow, how we hope Truckers Tavern (Murphy, Harding) can land the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup for us. Biggest dangers are Sue Smith's Chives and Royal Emperor, if she runs one or both.

ON THE LEVEL

Kevin Ryan returned from Dubai to find his good form of late continued at Southwell last Thursday, when stable veteran Cardinal Venture won to give the trainer his 38th course victory in five years.

Happiness for the yard was marred by the collapse and death in the race of another stable stalwart, Soyuz.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Southwell AW: Cardinal Venture (trained by K Ryan, at Hambleton; owned by T Fawcett), ridden by A Mullen (claiming 7lb).

Friday. - Bangor-on-Dee: Polar Gunner (M Jefferson, Norton; Mrs M E Dixon), F King (3).

Saturday. - Lingfield AW: Desparation (K Burke, Wensley; J C S Wilson), D Williams.

Monday. - Wolverhampton AW: Simply The Guest (Don Enrico Incisa, Coverham; trainer), K Tinkler.

Tuesday. - Newcastle: Don't Call Me Derek (J Quinn, Settrington; Camisgate Racing Club), R Garritty; Red Rampage (H Hogarth, Stillington; Hogarth Racing), Mr P Kinsella (7); Time Marches On (K Reveley, Lingdale; Hb (homebred by owner or connection), Mrs M B Thwaites), R McGrath; Assumetheposition (R Guest, Brancepeth; T Delaney), L McGrath (3).

Wednesday. - Leicester: Ghademes (R Guest; P Beck), S Fox.

Musselbrugh: Galero (H Johnson, Crook; A & G Wylie), T Murphy; Ryminster (J Wade, Morden; permit holder), P Aspell (3); Credit (JH Johnson; A & G Wylie), T Murphy; Far Pavilions (A Swinbank, Melsonby; J D Abell), J Crowley; Arctic Moss (E Tuer, Gt Smeaton; Yarm Skip Alliance), J P McNamara