JUST when you least expect it, sprinters spring a surprise - but perhaps the clues were there, with Frankie Dettori booked by trainer Kevin Ryan for that old campaigner Halmahera in Ascot's five-furlong dash.

The northern raider, partnered by the Italian, snatched a share of the spoils in a dead heat with Andrew Balding's Speed Cop.

Not far behind was Tim Easterby's My American Beauty, with John Quinn's hot pot Smart Hostess in seventh - but a horse blanket would have covered the first ten or so!

Ryan took a cross-country two, with Dilsaa winning a novice hurdles race at Hexham, and followed up on Monday at Ayr with Raymond's Pride.

York's first day was a blank for our area, but Thursday saw James Bethell win with Streeton and Bryan Smart with Twice Upon A Time, Tony Culhane up. Smart continued to win during the week, with Vademecum at Newcastle and Mon Secret at Leicester

Mark Johnston, who has had a relatively quiet time of late, began our week well with Nero's Return landing Friday's York 6f maiden under Keith Dalgleish.

His string showed their well being at Leicester and Ayr on Tuesday when Joe Fanning won on Penrith and Dalgleish on Melkuria respectively, both in Sheikh Mohammed colours.

The Kingsley House trainer supplemented the Sheikh's recent maiden winner Duke Of Venice for tomorrow's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, in which he had both Lucky Story and Pearl Of Love also entered, but only the first-named will run. Dettori is likely to have the ride.

Lucky Story, which had been ante-post favourite at one stage, disappointed in his gallop on Tuesday and has been withdrawn, while Pearl Of Love goes on Sunday to the Gran Criterium in Milan.

Middleham neighbour Patrick Haslam had a York winner on Saturday, when Positive Profile won the stayers' race and surprised everyone at 20-1. He is in tomorrow's Cesarewitch at Newmarket, the last to get in automatically (36th in the entries) spot on the bottom weight of 7st 12lb and, with Saturday's winning rider, Royston Ffrench, on board, could go well.

However, we have a selection of other possible runners. Mary Reveley's Tees Components, if running, may bring the marathon back to Lingdale. She had a winner at Newcastle with Ruby Legend on Sunday.

Brian Ellison's Zibeline warmed up with a Sedgefield run this week. Kevin Ryan has old favourite Gralmano entered, but Jedd O'Keeffe's Tiyoun would need nine to come out to get a run. Good luck to all "our" entries.

Notable Flat wins this week included from Michael Dods, Alan Swinbank and Mick Easterby. The rider for the last was young Paul Mulrennan, returning after injury.

Easterby also continued with National Hunt wins, Tony McCoy winning for him at Bangor on Minster Glory, while former amateur, now conditional (jumps apprentice), Gino Carenza won the Sedgefield bumper for him on One Five Eight.

Richard Guest's former amateur, Liam McGrath, had his first win as a conditional at Carlisle on Bolton Barrie, where fellow claimer Richard Spate, 22, had a first win, giving his boss a double, on Gabla.

Spate also won for Guest at Wetherby's all-hurdles race meeting (the chases were abandoned because of the firm ground) when Bolton Barrie went in again.

Chris Fairhurst and Chris Thornton had welcome winners and Ferdy Murphy showed he is still firing. Declan Carroll and Micky Hammond were both on the Wetherby scorecard, where Linda Stubbs sent out her first jumps winner.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - No DST area winners.

Friday last week. - York: Stretton (trained by James Bethell, at Middleham; owned by M J Dawson), ridden by Philip Robinson; Nero's Return (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Mrs Christine E Budden), Keith Dalgleish; Twice Upon A Time (Bryan Smart, Hambleton; Hb (homebred by owner or connections) John W Ford), Tony Culhane.

Carlisle NH: Bolton Barrie (Richard Guest, Brancepeth; Glenn Roberts), Liam McGrath (claiming 5lb); Gabla (Richard Guest; T V Siviter), Richard Spate (10).

Saturday. - Ascot: (in dead heat) Halmahera (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; J Duddy & Mrs G Quinn), Frankie Dettori.

York: Positive Profile (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Chelgate Public Relations Ltd), Royston Ffrench.

Bangor NH: Cumbrian Knight (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Cumbrian Industrials Ltd), Graham Lee; Minster Glory (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Mrs P A H Hartley), Tony McCoy.

Hexham NH: Dilsaa (Kevin Ryan; Yorkshire Racing Club V), Mr Miles Seston (7); Gilou (Chris Fairhurst, Middleham; Hb, P Richmond & Partners), Niall Hannity (3); Panmure (Peter Niven, Barton-le-Street; the Poppet Partnership), Andrew Thornton.

Sunday. - Newcastle: Vademecum (Bryan Smart; Ekos Pinnacle Partnership), Royston Ffrench; Ruby Legend (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Mrs J M Grimston, Darryll Holland; Pop Up Again (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; Mrs P M Robinson), Robert Winston.

Monday. - Ayr: Rotuma (Michael Dods, Piercebridge; Denton Hall Racing), Robert Winston; Raymond's Pride (Kevin Ryan; Hb, R E Robinson), Fergal Lynch.

Leicester: Mon Secret (Bryan Smart; Pinacle Monash Partnership), Michael Stainton (7).

Tuesday. - Leicester: Penrith (Mark Johnston; Sheikh Mohammed), Joe Fanning.

Ayr: Mekuria (Mark Johnston; Sheikh Mohammed), Keith Dalgleish; Nowell House (Mick Easterby; John Walsh), Paul Mulrennan (5).

Sedgefield NH: Liberty Seeker (Alan Swinbank; M Sawers) Padge Whelan (3); Silent Snipe (Lynn Siddall, Colton; Mrs D Ibbotson), Tom Siddall (3); Raise Your Glass (Chris Thornton, Middleham; Mrs M Blacker), James Davies; Urban Hymn (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; D A Johnson), Davy Russell; One Five Eight (Mick Easterby; J W P Curtis), Gino Carenza (5).

Wednesday. - Wetherby NH: Merezeon (Declan Carroll, Warthill; Diamond Racing Ltd), Antony Evans (3); Blushing Prince (Linda Stubbs, Malton; Des Thurlby), Barry Fenton; Nandoo (Micky Hammond, Middleham; trainer), Richard Johnson; Bolton Barrie (Richard Guest; Glenn Roberts), Richard Spate (10).