IT is a rare York meeting which does not have an Easterby winner and Wednesday's opening race saw Mick Easterby duly land the spoils with the favourite, Sporting Gesture.

He won by a length and a half under a driving Kieren Fallon ride, beating nephew Tim Easterby's recent Ripon winner Jeepstar.

Mick said afterwards that the win was unexpected, as he felt his runner was badly handicapped.

Champion jockey Fallon, who rode the Sheriff Hutton handler's Hills Of Gold to win last Thursday as one of his riding hat-trick at Chester, quipped afterwards: "Mick obviously hasn't lost it!"

He repeated the same words after winning at York, but faced the stewards for impeding two others in the race when switching to the outside before making his run for home.

He only received a caution, not a ban, so is set for the St Leger meeting at Doncaster.

Fallon followed up by booting home another winner, the odds-on Secretary General for Paul Cole.

Michael Dods was also a surprised trainer when his two-year-old Doctor One landed the mile maiden race at 100-1 under apprentice Tony Hamilton.

This was the first winner on the Knavesmire for Dods, who said that the Dr Fong colt would make a nice three-year-old.

Linda Stubbs found the soft going at Sandown helped her Friday nursery sprint winner, Eastern Pearl, who has recovered from a stress fracture of a cannon bone.

Richard Fahey's young rider, Paul Hanagan, won at the Esher course on Saturday aboard Lady Bear, a welcome Listed win for this consistent mare.

Fahey said she is to be sold at the end of the season, so they would be looking to add more "black type" (Listed or Group wins) after this first such success.

She holds an entry at Haydock tomorrow in the Listed mile race and, if Mark Johnston's Gateman runs to set a good gallop, she has a fine chance.

Joe Fanning, who reached his half-century of winners last week, continued his fine form, winning for Johnston on Chantress at Chester.

This could follow up at Thirsk tomorrow (3.30, Royston Ffrench booked).

Fanning's Monday win for the Kingsley House team was up at Hamilton when Woody Valentine beat an odds-on Newmarket hotpot, Taaqaah.

At Southwell on Tuesday, when fellow Middleham rider Keith Dalgleish was delayed by a flat tyre, Fanning came in for a spare James Given winner, Rock Lobster.

David Nicholls won at Chester on Saturday with True Night. Eddie Ahern partnered this one and was completing a treble for the day.

True Night had not won since taking the same race 12 months earlier.

The Sessay trainer has Continent entered in tomorrow's Group 1 sprint at Haydock, while Tim Easterby has two listed, Fayr Jag and Somnus.

Oasis Dream (John Gosden) is supposed to be unbeatable, but let's hope one of ours could surprise them.

West Witton trainer Ferdy Murphy sent out a Saturday winner, Howboys Quest, at Market Rasen.

Well done Serena Brotherton, amateur jockey and daughter of Yorkshire owner-breeder David Brotherton.

She won all three of her races in Malaysia at the weekend and goes on to Philadelphia for the next round of the Fegentri series, in which she is lying third.

Good wishes for speedy recoveries go to Andrea O'Keefe, trainer Jedd's wife and his right-hand helper, and to permit trainer Sharon Watt, both of whom suffered broken bones in recent riding accidents.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Chester: 7f, Hills Of Gold (trained by Mick Easterby, at Sheriff Hutton; owned by G Hart & D Scott), ridden by Kieren Fallon.

Friday. - Chester: 10f, Chantress (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Homebred (Hb), Newgate Stud), Joe Fanning.

Ayr: 7f, Imperial Echo (David Barron, Maunby; J Stephenson), Dean Mernagh.

Sandown: 5f, Eastern Pearl (Linda Stubbs, Malton; T C Chang), Simon Wentworth.

Saturday. - Sandown: 8f, Lady Bear (Richard Fahey, Malton; J A & Kay Campbell), Paul Hanagan.

Chester: 7f, True Night (David Nicholls, Sessay; Benton & Partners), Eddie Ahern.

Ripon: 12f, Swynford Pleasure (James Hetherton, Malton; Qualitair Holdings Ltd), Dale Gibson.

Market Rasen NH: hdl, Howaboys Quest (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Winlow Brothers), Davey Russell.

Monday. - Hamilton: 8f, Woody Valentine (M Johnston; Favourites Racing), J Fanning.

Tuesday. - Brighton: 5f, Tuscan Flyer (Robin Bastiman, Cowthorpe; A Clarke), Willie Ryan.

Wednesday. - York: 12f, Sporting Gesture (M Easterby; S Hull), K Fallon; 8f, Doctor One (Michael Dods, Piercebridge; G Spencer), Tony Hamilton (claiming 5lbs).