ANOTHER nine-year-old, another veteran performance by a Yorkshire horse as Halmahera made history by landing the Portland Handicap at Doncaster on Wednesday for the third year running.

The gelding carried 9st 10lb and still managed to chop half a second off the course record in a time of 1min 5.64sec.

Halmahera was partnered by Neil Callan and won at a rewarding 11-1. He seems to relish this five and a half furlongs and the Doncaster course.

A clearly delighted Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan said he had bought the horse for 40,000gns three years ago, a lot of money for him to pay at that time, and owners John Duddy and Niall Quinn "came and bailed me out."

To win three Portland Handicaps - for which first prize this year was in the order of £32,000 - and a host of other sprints since will have repaid them all in spades redoubled.

It also shows the benefit of keeping older horses running and Halmahera becomes the 19th horse to become a triple winner of a big handicap since 1857, according to Racing Post data, joining horses such as Sea Pigeon, winner of the Vaux Gold Tankard at Redcar in 1977, '78 and '80.

The other nine-year-old to make recent history, of course, was David Nicholls' Bahamian Pirate, oldest Group 1 winner in the UK with the Nunthorpe.

Halmahera goes now for the Ayr Gold Cup, his trainer indicated, which is tomorrow week.

Ryan and Callan, winners on Saturday at Thirsk with Poppys Footprint, had dashed the hopes of a handful of Tote Scoop 6 ticket holders, as they landed the fillies handicap at 20-1. The same pair landed a 6f handicap at Newcastle on Monday, when Roman Empire improved without blinkers to score.

Ryan's Hambleton neighbour, Bryan Smart, has hit a hot patch. Last Thursday, he sent out the Redcar nursery winner, Caitlin, a welcome winner for Fergal Lynch after the police probe problems of last week, and won a 7f handicap at Carlisle, where Derek McGaffin partnered Mon Secret.

Richard Fahey, still flying, chose young Tony Hamilton to partner his Carlisle winner, Turn Of Phrase, while next day his stable jockey, Paul Hanagan, also in top form, was the pick of Maunby trainer David Barron and duly obliged in the maiden sprint at Haydock on Premier Fantasy.

Yorkshire owner Guy Reed saw his colours carried to victory on Saturday at the Liverpool course when Stephano won under Michael Hills, trained by Barry Hills.

Down at Kempton, meanwhile, Kieren Fallon rode his first winner since the midweek police raids, partnering Mark Johnston's northern raider, Mystical Girl, in the mile race which opened the card. The champion jockey went on to take the next, too.

Johnston's Lucky Story front-ran in the Prix du Moulins at Longchamp on Sunday under Darryll Holland, but tired and finished seventh.

Meanwhile, Kingsley House jockey Joe Fanning, in one of his best seasons, was at York to win on Barman for Oxfordshire trainer Paul Cole. By the time you read this, we expect Fanning to have won at Doncaster yesterday on Johnston's ace stayer, Darasim - more next week.

The big match is today when Fanning partners Elliots World and Kevin Darley, Leos Lucky Star in the Group 2 Champagne Stakes, which Johnston won last year with Lucky Story. It's hard to pick between them, but despite "Leo" being Deidre Johnston's horse to follow, our inkling is for Elliots World.

Johnston's star filly, Attraction, is set for a re-match with Soviet Song, who beat her in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July, at Leopardstown tomorrow. Darley has the ride on the Johnston filly, but if the rain comes and the ground changes, she may not run.

Robert Winston had a Redcar double on Thursday last, for Lynda Ramsden and Brian Rothwell, and followed up for in-form Richard Fahey at Newcastle on Monday, substituting for Paul Hanagan, who hurt a knee when Harrison's Flyer unshipped him in an earlier race.

At York, Mick Easterby was the only local trainer to win, when Paul Mulrennan partnered Mount Hillaby.

Karl Burke, the only trainer questioned last week by police in the race-fixing allegations, had to wait until Tuesday before his first winner afterwards. He sent Platinum Pirate down to Lingfield to win under Jimmy Quinn, the horse now running in the colours of the Spigot Lodge Partnership.

Nearer to hand at Catterick, out-of-form Mel Brittain had an overdue success with his own Melandre and Ann Duffield's course specialist Jubilee Street gave the Constable Burton trainer a welcome winner.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Salisbury: Maromito (trained by R Bastiman, at Cowthorpe; owned by Mrs C Bastiman), ridden by A Mullen (claiming 5lb allowance).

Redcar: Caitlin (B Smart, Hambleton; Ekos Pinnacle Partnership), F Lynch; Trojan Flight (L Ramsden, Sandhutton; T O'Gram), R Winston; Zan Lo (B Rothwell, Nawton; D J Coles), R Winston; Hartshead (A Swinbank, Melsonby; B Valentine), D McKeown.

Carlisle: Mon Secret (B Smart; Pinnacle Monash Partnership), D McGaffin; Turn Of Phrase (R Fahey, Musley Bank; Jacksons Transport (West Riding) Ltd), T Hamilton (3).

Friday. - Haydock: Premier Fantasy (D Barron, Maunby; J Browne), P Hanagan.

Saturday. - Kempton: Mystical Girl (M Johnston, Middleham; T T Bloodstocks), K Fallon.

Thirsk: Poppys Footprint (K Ryan, Hambleton; Kimin Barfly), N Callan.

Folkestone: Shamwarie (I McInnes, Catwick; Ivy House Racing), F McDonald (3).

Sunday. - York: Mount Hillaby (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; The Woodford Group Ltd), P Mulrennan (3).

Monday. - Newcastle: Market Avenue (R Fahey; Market Avenue Racing Club Ltd), R Winston; Roman Empire (K Ryan; Yorkshire Racing Syndicates), N Callan.

Tuesday. - Catterick: Melandre (M Brittain, Warthill; trainer), T Williams; Jubilee Street (A Duffield, Constable Burton; D W Holdsworth & J A McMahon), T Beech (3).

Lingfield AW: Platinum Pirate (K Burke, Wensley; Spigot Lodge Partnership), J Quinn.

Wednesday. - Doncaster: Halmahera (K Ryan; J Duddy & Mrs G Quinn), N Callan.