A GEM of a jumps start came from Carte Diamond at Newcastle last Saturday when Brian Ellison's charge took the juvenile hurdle under Brian Harding.

They were five lengths clear of joint favourite Iron Man, one of Graham and Andrea Wylie's strong string with Howard Johnson and ridden by Graham Lee.

Carte Diamond was a maiden winner for Mark Johnston last June and at York in July, following up with a good Listed race second under Kevin Darley at Newmarket in September.

Ellison and owner Ashley Carr bought him at Doncaster Sales for 105,000gns and their newcomer swept all before him recently on the level in the November Handicap, when Ellison indicated he was on course for hurdling.

After the Newcastle win, Ellison confessed that he had never been so nervous before any race. "The idea is to give him two or three races before the Triumph Hurdle or, who knows, maybe even the Champion. We can all dream."

Certainly, his three-year-old looks to have the potential to go on to great things next spring at Cheltenham. Ellison added that since the Doncaster win three weeks back, they had not galloped him, but had only schooled him, so that there was "a fair bit of improvement to come from him yet."

Johnson and Lee were pipped with the Wylies' Inglis Drever in the Fighting Fifth, Paul Carberry beating them into second on the Irish runner Harchibald. The pair were joint favourites and, as the Johnson runner was having his first run this term, he should come on for the outing.

Down at Newbury, meanwhile, Lord Transcend ran extremely well under Tony Dobbin in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, leading for much of the race. Slight errors at the third and second last may have cost him a closer place than his fourth and he will shine even more when on softer going.

Johnson and Lee warmed up for their weekend big races by landing a good Carlisle race on Thursday with Gratton Lodge, and taking a double at Musselburgh on Friday for the Wylies, with Coat Of Honour and Lennon. Lee rode a treble at the Scottish track, also winning for Midlothian trainer Peter Monteith on Polyphon. The three wins brought up Lee's 60th for the season.

It was Tony Dobbin who partnered the Wylie-Johnson winner of Catterick's opening jumps race this year, Regal Setting landing the juvenile novice hurdle. This was another former Sir Mark Prescott inmate, which cost 215,000gns in October.

Permit holder and barrister Eric Elliott won again at Newcastle with Place Above, Fergus King's partner having also landed a Sedgefield race on the Tuesday.

Ferdy Murphy's Your A Gassman won the novice chase at Newcastle on Saturday in fine fashion, another good Brian Harding ride.

On Sunday, Garde Bien at Doncaster and Ulusaba at Leicester, partnered by Graham Lee and Keith Mercer respectively, won their races for Murphy. Monday it was his Mac's Supreme at Newcastle, another Mercer ride.

Catterick successes included a juvenile novice hurdles win for Ann Duffield by Prairie Sun, another sign that her yard is coming back to form, following last week's all-weather win by the aptly-named Constable Burton. Owyn Nelmes won for David Thompson on stable star Sovereign State.

Old Weaver George, 14, won again for Wilf Storey, partnered by Alan Dempsey.

Our only local Flat success this week was that of John Wainwright on Wednesday at Southwell, apprentice Patrick Mathers partnering Joyce's Choice.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Carlisle: Roman Ark (trained by M Jefferson, at Norton; owned by R Collins), ridden by F King (claiming 3lb allowance); Grattan Lodge (H Johnson, Crook; W M G Black), G Lee.

Fri. - Musselburgh: Coat Of Honour (H Johnson; A & G Wylie), G Lee; Lennon (H Johnson; A & G Wylie), G Lee.

Sat. - Newcastle: Your A Gassman (F Murphy, West Witton; W J Gott), B Harding; Carte Diamond (B Ellison, Norton; A Carr), B Harding; Place Above (E Elliott, Rushyford; permit holder), F King (3).

Sun. - Doncaster: Garde Bien (F Murphy; Mrs M B Scholey), G Lee; Rosie Redman (J Turner, Norton le Clay; Miss S J Turner), D O'Meara; The Duke's Speech (T Tate, Tadcaster; The Ivy Syndicate), J Maguire.

Leicester: Ulusaba (F Murphy; D Clinton, C McHugh, J King), K Mercer (5).

Mon. - Newcastle: Imperial Dream (H Hogarth, Stillington; Hogarth Racing), D O'Meara; Caraman (D Carroll, Warthill; A Mann), A Dempsey; Mac's Supreme (F Murphy; B McEntaggart), K Mercer (5); Rambling Minster (K Reveley, Lingdale; The Lingdale Optimists), R McGrath; Oakapple Express (G Harker, Wensley; P Taylor), N Hannitty.

Wed. - Catterick: Regal Setting (H Johnson; A & G Wylie), A Dobbin; Sovereign State (D Thompson, Bolam; J Greenbank), O Nelmes; Weaver George (W Storey, Muggleswick; Regent Decorators), A Dempsey; Prairie Sun (A Duffield, Constable Burton; Miss H Wynne), K Mercer (5); Six Pack (A Turnell, Malton; J J Canny), A Dempsey.

Southwell AW: Joyce's Choice (J Wainwright, Kennythorpe; Mrs J Neilson), P Mathers (5).