AT YORK, it was a case of saving our best till last as two Yorkshire trainers added to the local scoresheet on the final day of the May meeting, Thursday last.

David Chapman's tough 12-year-old Quito landed the six furlongs sprint, while another favourite of t'north's, Vintage Premium, took the ten furlongs plus handicap for Richard Fahey.

Their partners were Tony Culhane and Paul Hanagan respectively and neither of these durable battlers were winning out of turn. Quito is well regarded and Chapman, asked afterwards if he would go to Group races now, joked that "there are always claimers."

Vintage Premium was particularly gutsy, repelling raids from either side. He loves the track, being a former John Smith Cup winner (2002), but had not won since. Also, Fahey had been without a winner for more than 50 days as his yard had been infected by equine herpes, with three horses ill and the others quarantined.

Both Quito and Vintage Premium turned out again in quick succession. The sprinter ran at Newbury on Saturday in the Juddmonte Lockinge, a Group One event, despite the trainer's quip at York, and was not disgraced. His finishing place of tenth, just in front of Mark Johnston's Gateman, was not that far behind the winner.

Vintage Premium also struck while the iron was hot and went up to Hamilton for the Listed 12-furlong event on Friday evening, but found one just too good in the shape of Alan Swinbank's Collier Hill, partnered by Robert Winston, who beat him a neck.

Fahey and apprentice Tony Hamilton had earlier scored, though, with Bo McGinty and the Musley Bank team went on to win again at Kelso over jumps.

For Swinbank it was a first win with his first runner in Listed company and Winston partnered the gelding through some rough stuff during the race. Tim Easterby's Bourgeois was third (Fergal Lynch).

The Great Habton trainer had two notable wins on Saturday, Golden Nun landing the Listed fillies' race at Nottingham under Winston and Miss Meggy, at 20-1, taking the Thirsk opener, a sprint for fillies, under claimer David Allan.

Flighty Fellow, owned like the Thirsk surprise by David Armstrong, won at Beverley on Tuesday, Willie Supple up.

Ann Duffield also had a winner there, partnered by husband George, who took a double on the card, recovered from his injury earlier in the month.

Mark Johnston had his usual haul of good winners, scattered from Thirsk and Ripon to Bath, and two were partnered by Stanley Chin.

Most prolific, although chiefly on the all-weather, were Middleham's Karl Burke and Hambleton's Kevin Ryan, two shrewd trainers who place their horses to win in their own grade.

Ryan took a turf win at Salisbury and went on later to a Southwell double, while Burke also won there the same day and took a brace of banded H grade races there next meeting.

ALL THE WINNERS

Thursday of last week. - York: Quito (trained by D Chapman, at Stillington; owned by Michael Hill), ridden by T Culhane; Vintage Premium (R Fahey, Musley Bank; J C Parsons), P Hanagan.

Salisbury: Bridgewater Boys (K Ryan, Hambleton; Bishopthorpe Racing), N Callan.

Perth NH: Transit (B Ellison, Norton; G Redpath), G Berridge (claiming 5lbs allowance).

Lingfield AW banded H races ev: Kingsdon (T FitzGerald, Norton; M Browne), J Egan; Buying A Dream (A Turnell, Malton; Robinson Webster (Holdings), Ltd), C Catlin.

Friday. - Nottingham: Twofan (M Johnston, Middleham; A Al-Rostamani), S Chin.

Hamilton ev: Bo McGinty (R Fahey; P McGinty & B Turnbull), T Hamilton; Collier Hill (A Swinbank, Melsonby; R H Hall & A Young), R Winston; Never Will (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), J Fanning.

Saturday. - Nottingham: Golden Nun (T Easterby, Great Habton; T G & Mrs M E Holdcroft), R Winston.

Thirsk: Miss Meggy (T Easterby; D W Armstrong), D Allan (3); Celtic Mill (D Barker, Scorton; Homebred (Hb), P Asquith), L Enstone (3). Mystical Girl (M Johnston; TT Bloodstocks), S Chin.

Uttoxeter NH ev: (dead heat) Star Of Germany (F Murphy, West Witton; Miss V J Morgan), G Lee; Scottish Roots (D M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Mrs C N Weatherby), Mr T Greenall.

Southwell AW ev: Roman Empire (K Ryan; Yorkshire Racing Syndicates IV), N Callan; Speed Dial Harry (K Burke, Wensley; J C S Wilson), D Williams; Yenaled (K Ryan; The Fisherman), D Caldwell (7).

Sunday. - Ripon: Hearthstead Wings (M Johnston; Hearthstead Homes Ltd), J Fanning.

Fakenham NH: Guilsborough Gorse (T Walfrod, Sheriff Hutton; P Crafts), Mr M Walford (7).

Monday. - Bath: Etmaam (M Johnston; Hamdan Al Maktoum), R Hills.

Wolverhampton AW H: Levelled (D Chapman; trainer), T Culhane; Moyne Pleasure (P Johnson, White-le-Head; trainer and Mrs D M Johnson), D Holland; Marabar (D Chapman; Miss N F Thesiger), T Culhane.

Musselburgh ev: Border Artist (D Nicholls, Sessay; F F Racing Services Partnership), A Nicholls; Rajam (D Nicholls; A A Bloodstock Ltd), A Greaves; American Cousin (D Nicholls; Middleham Park Racing XIV), A Nicholls; Son Of Thunder (M Dods, Piercebridge; R Mould), L Enstone (3).

Tuesday. - Beverley: Flighty Fellow (T Easterby; D W Armstrong), W Supple; Prairie Sun (A Duffield, Constable Burton; Miss H Wynne), G Duffield.

Redcar: Sawwaag (D Nicholls; Fayzad Thoroughbred Ltd), A Greaves; Playful Dane (S Cunningham, Hutton Rudby; A and D Bell), D Fentiman (7).

Towcester NH ev: Garde Bien (F Murphy; Mrs M B Scholey), G Lee; The Merry Mason (M Jefferson, Norton; Ashleybank Investments Ltd), F King (3).

Wednesday. - Southwell AW bndd H: Cleveland Way (D Carroll, Warthill; The Boot & Shoe Ackworth Partnership), D Tudhope (7); Romil Star (K Burke; Mrs E M Burke), Mr S Dobson (3); Ballyrush (K Burke; Mrs B Keogh), R Keogh (7).

Kelso NH: Donovan (R Guest, Brancepeth; Concertina Racing Too), H Oliver; Wuxi Venture (R Fahey; R G Leatham), P Whelan (3).

Sedgefield NH ev: Astral Prince (K Walton, Middleham; D E Reeves & P W Colley), J Crowley; Prize Ring (G Moore, Middleham; G Brown/B Watson), F Keniry; Pornic (A Crook, Middleham; John Sinclair (Haulage) Ltd), Mr O Nelmes (7); Just For Fun (F Murphy; Northumberland Jumpers), T Dobbin.