THEY wouldn't listen. Mark Johnston kept telling them; we, too, never lost faith, but those in the south wouldn't heed the signs, not even after the most public racecourse gallop in history as Ripon showed off our northern filly on television the Saturday before.

On Sunday, Attraction duly won the 1,000 Guineas to maintain her unbeaten record of five wins and to give the Middleham maestro his second Classic success a decade after Mister Baileys.

The Duke of Roxburghe was delighted with his homebred filly, whom no one wanted as her front legs were not classically shaped. She also broke a pedal bone last summer and spent a long period of box rest before returning to training.

Oh, ye of little faith! What a joy it was to watch Attraction under Kevin Darley hit the front from the off, bowling along, ears pricked, using her early speed - perhaps passed down by sire Efisio - to wear down the opposition.

Mid-race, she looked settled and happy, in a super rhythm and, at the business end, only Hathrah and Sundrop looked likely to come anywhere close to Attraction. They were beaten into third and second respectively, by a half length and the same.

This was the fourth Classic since the war for Middleham and Wensleydale, begging Mick Easterby's pardon. Dante landed the wartime Derby run at Newmarket for the Peacock dynasty. The 1977 1,000 Guineas was won by Mrs McArdy, belonging to Bill and Edith Kettlewell, then of Aysgarth but now of West Witton (landlords of Ferdy Murphy), their winner trained at Sheriff Hutton by Easterby.

Johnston's own tally began in 1994 with the 2,000 Guineas won by Mister Baileys. And, with Attraction, the story might not yet be over. The trainer said after the race: "I don't think I or the Duke are the types to retire her. We'll try again, but we haven't thought beyond this day."

As for the doubters, the clues were there all this season - the yard has been sending out success after success. Friday saw a newcomer follow the Attraction route as Joseph Henry, Joe Fanning up, won for owner-breeders.

On Saturday, Bandari, another Fanning ride, returned to his winning form at Newmarket. He was also due out again at Chester yesterday as we went to press. Wednesday, the first day in the rearranged meeting, proved a surprising blank for our area.

Sunday's Newmarket tally for the Kingsley House team included a second from Systematic (Darley) in the Jockey Club Stakes, a Group Two race, and from Never Will (Fanning) in the Hastings Maiden Stakes. Fanning was seen at his best in the Maktoum colours later, landing the Portland Lodge on Master Marvel.

Tuesday both regular Johnston jockeys did well, Fanning riding a Warwick double, including on Premier Dream for his boss, and Keith Dalgleish did the same at Musselburgh that evening, where his Johnston win was on Man Of Letters.

George Duffield was badly injured at Warwick on Monday afternoon, when debutante Burton Ash (James Given) threw him in the paddock and kicked him in the stomach. Duffield spent the night in hospital, where wife Ann dashed from Doncaster, where she had runners, to find he had no internal injuries, but a broken rib. He was released next day.

Before that, he had spent a good week, riding a rare two-year-old winner trained by his wife at Southwell last Thursday, notching several "outside" wins and, which may surprise some, landing the jump jockeys' flat race at Hamilton for Linda Stubbs. He qualified for that event with his recently acquired jumps licence, taken out so he could ride his wife's bumper (NH flat) runners.

That meeting also saw Karl Burke with another winner. He's one to be backed at present, as too is the in-form Bryan Smart. Mick Easterby landed the Thirsk Hunt Cup with Blue Spinnaker.

Finally, although there is no space to review the jumps winners, we should note that Graham Lee has added yet another National to his tally - the Durham National, run at Sedgefield last Friday evening, on Lord Capitaine, trained by Howard Johnson.

ALL THE WINNERS

Thursday of last week. - Southwell AW: Unlimited (trained by A Duffield, at Constable Burton; owned by Mrs L J Tounsend), ridden by G Duffield; On The Trail (D Chapman, Stillington; J W Chapman), T Culhane.

Ayr ev (banded H races): Redoubtable (D Chapman; trainer), P Makin (claiming 7lbs allowance); Righty Ho (B Tinning, Thornton-le-Clay; trainer), R Winston; Kingsdon (T FitzGerald, Norton; M Browne), J Egan.

Friday. - Musselburgh: He's A Rocket (K Burke, Wensley; Mrs L Charge), L Jones (3); Mary Read (B Smart, Hambleton; S J F Racing), F Lynch; Redwood Rocks (B Smart; D Hall), F Lynch.

Nottingham: Joseph Henry (M Johnston, Middleham; Homebred (Hb) J Brown & M Dennis), J Fanning.

Bangor NH: Bill's Echo (R Guest, Brancepeth; Burns Partnership), L McGrath (3).

Sedgefield NH: Only One Matty (K Walton, Middleham; The White Liners), J Crowley; Comfortable Call (H Alexander, Hanging Grimston; P J Dixon), T Dobbin; Lord Capitaine (H Johnson, Crook; The Scottish Steeplechasing Partnership), G Lee; Banana Ridge (P Maddison, Skewby; P Maddison), Mr C Mulhall (5).

Saturday. - Newmarket: 10f cndns, Bandari (Mark Johnston; Hamdan Al Maktoum), Joe Fanning.

Thirsk: 5f nov, World At My Feet (Neville Bycroft, Brandsby; Cavalier Racing), John Quinn; 7f hcp, Raphael (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Mrs K Arton), Dale Gibson; 8f hcp, Thirsk Hunt Cup, Blue Spinnaker (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; G Sparks G Hart S Curtis & T Dewhirst), Paul Mulrennan (5); 6f clfd, Mr Wolf (David Barker, Scorton; Hb, Peter Asquith), T Eaves (5).

Hexham NH ev: nov chs, Boston Lass (Ron Woodhouse, Welburn; M K Oldham), Padge Whelan (3); hcp hdl, Tee-Jay (Micky Hammond, Middleham; T J Equestrian), Tony Dobbin; hcp chs, Gabla (Richard Guest; T N Siviter), P Griffiths (7); hntr chs, Who Dares Wins (Ms S Duell, Stockton-on-Tees; J A V Duell), Mr L Bates (5).

Southwell NH (turf) ev: nov hcp chs, Bolton Barrie (Richard Guest; Glenn Roberts), Larry McGrath (3); hcp chs, Ceresfield (Richard Guest; Keith Middleton), Larry McGrath (3).

Sunday. - Newmarket: 8f Gp1, Attraction (Mark Johnston; Hb, Duke of Roxburghe), Kevin Darley; 8f hcp, Master Marvel (Mark Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Joe Fanning.

Hamilton: 8f NH jockeys hcp, Double Ramsom (Linda Stubbs, Malton; Tyne Partnership), George Duffield; 5f hcp, Scottish Exile (Karl Burke; Mrs Melba Bryce), Darren Williams.

Monday. - Doncaster: 6f clmr, Pays D'Amour (David Nicholls, Sessay; The Inglenookers), Alex Greaves.

Tuesday. - Warwick: 8f hcp (flag start), Premier Dream (Mark Johnston; Lucayan Stud), Joe Fanning.

Musselburgh ev: 12f clmr, Platinum Charmer (Karl Burke; Platinum Racing Club Ltd), Darren Williams; Man Of Letters (Mark Johnston; Jumeirah Racing), Keith Dalgleish; 5f hcp, Cash (Paul Johnson, White-le-head; Insull, White, Pritchard & Johnson), Keith Dalgleish.

Wednesday. - Kelso NH: bgnrs chs, Jodante (Peter Beaumont, Brandsby; Trevor Hemmings), Russ Garritty