THE last day, the final fling, at Doncaster on Saturday as far as Flat racing on turf is concerned for this year, and how marvellous to see Scott's View land the CIU Serlby Stakes, a Listed race, under Joe Fanning.
Mark Johnston's charge seemed better suited by this trip of a mile and a half than the two he had raced the previous Wednesday when coming second at Musselburgh - he must be a tough cookie!
For Fanning, whose best ever season this has been bar the hiccup of the Redcar breath test last week, this will have been some consolation. He was seen at his best, riding from the front, as he has so often this term, most notably on Darasim at Ascot and in France.
Living just at the edge of Middleham, where the Leyburn road crosses the River Ure, is the Harrison family, including father Alan, the former trainer, and daughter and horsewoman, Kelly. We were delighted on Friday to see her win the amateur lady riders' event at Doncaster on the David Nicholls-trained Locombe Hill, and hope readers had backed her after our hint, at a rewarding 20-1.
Fellow lady rider and Middleham personality Carol Williams, who partnered one for Newmarket handler William Haggas, could only finish 12th, but still won the women amateurs' title for the year with 66 points.
Winners on the level, though, continue as the all-weather tracks come into their own and both Patrick Haslam and Kevin Ryan won at Wolverhampton. Haslam's winner, Maunby Raver, was an English first win for young Irish apprentice Rory Moore, 19, who has been with the Middleham trainer for just over a month.
Carol Williams had ridden Haslam's Positive Profile three times to win on the level and represented the stable on Wednesday when Robert Thornton partnered him over hurdles to win easily in the Kelso novice event.
Fellow Middleham trainer Jedd O'Keeffe welcomed his win with Beat The Heat at the Scottish borders course, a follow-up to his recent Aintree win, after a quiet Flat season with just the one winner.
Hunting to the West of Yore was the secret, jockey Niall Hannity said, after winning the conditional riders' event on The Maserati Kid for Geoff Harker, as a spin behind the hounds and jumping a stone wall and gate seemed to have woken up the recent stable arrival.
George Moore gave Middleham followers a quick double at Sedgefield the day before, when Scotmail Lad and Romil Star went in. But none from around the racing town is doing better than Ferdy Murphy, whose intensive schooling at West Witton on his new jumps and cantering ring, or new all-weather gallops, is paying off.
Murphy and stable jockey Davy Russell had winners at Carlisle, Hexham - a double - and Sedgefield. From the Malton area, Mick Easterby continues in superb form and took a Tom Greenall-ridden pair at Hexham in his week's tally. James Hetherton was also on that scoresheet.
From the Richmond area, Alan Swinbank had another winner at Sedgefield and Sharon Watt, who has just two, added yet another win in a remarkable strike rate when Tina Jackson partnered Now Then Sid at Hexham.
None of our Fifteen To Follow were winners this week.
They are. - Altay (Richard Fahey), A Piece Of Cake (Mary Reveley), Covent Garden (Howard Johnson), Europa (Tom Tate), Far Pavilions (Alan Swinbank), Gralmano (Kevin Ryan), Hussard Colonges (Peter Beaumont), Jungle Jinks (George Moore), Moss Harvey (Malcolm Jefferson), Our Armageddon (Richard Guest), Patriarch Express (Geoff Harker), Ryalux (Andy Crook), Silver Knight (Tim Easterby), Through The Rye (Edwin Tuer), Truckers Tavern (Ferdy Murphy).
THE WEEK'S WINNERS
Fri. - Doncaster: Locombe Hill (trained by D Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by I W Glenton), ridden by Miss K Harrison (claiming 5lbs allowance).
Hexham: Tyndarius (J Hetherton, Malton; A Shaw), P Aspell; Shelu (F Murphy, West Witton; R Patel), D Russell; Now Then Sid (S Watt, Brompton on Swale; permit holder), Miss T Jackson (7); Real Shady (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Lord Daresbury), Mr T Greenall (7); Marsh Run (M Easterby; Mrs M E Curtis), Mr T Greenall (7).
Sat. - Doncaster: Scott's View (M Johnston, Middleham; Great Escape Partnership), J Fanning.
Mon. - Carlisle: Riothamus (F Murphy; Rp Racing), D Russell; Island Faith (F Murphy; K Lee), D Russell; Icy River (M Reveley, Lingdale; A Peake), A Dempsey; Minster Glory (M Easterby; Mrs P A Hartley), G Carenza (3); Stone Cold (T Easterby, Great Habton; Six Diamonds Partnership) D O'Meara (3).
Wolverhampton AW: Maunby Raver (P Haslam, Middleham; Maunby Investment Management), R Moore (7); Cardinal Venture (K Ryan, Hambleton; T Fawcett), R Winston.
Tue. - Sedgefield: Silent Snipe (L Siddall, Colton; Mrs D Ibbotson), T Dobbin; Beacon Of Light (F Murphy; P T Murphy), D Russell; Scotmail Lad (G Moore, Middleham; G Brown/B Watson), R Garritty; Romil Star (G Moore; M R Johnson), A Ross; Liberty Seeker (A Swinbank, Melsonby; M Sawers), P Whelan.
Wed. - Kelso: Positive Profile (P Haslam; Chelgate Public Relations), R Thornton; Beat The Heat (J O'Keeffe, Coverham; R Berry), G Lee; The Maserati Kid (G Harker, Wensley; R Ward), N Hannitty (3).
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