THE Festival finale, the first of the Flat - what joy for race fans! And in the future, there will be four Cheltenham days to savour.

The Gold Cup win by Best Mate was one which no horse-lover could criticise. The first back-to-back winner since L'Escargot in 1971, the horse jumped from fence to fence under a jubilant Jim Cullotty.

Add to that an amazing run by Truckers Tavern, Ferdy Murphy's runner, a fantastic second under Davy Russell at 33-1. This could well come back next year and topple the reigning king. For Peter Beaumont, Hussard Collonges (15 to Follow) was tailed off and pulled up.

Truckers Tavern has been raised from a handicap mark of 152 to 162, that is to say must carry 10lbs more in future races, but can run off his old rating in the Attheraces Gold Cup at Sandown on April 26.

Fiona Needham could not emulate Best Mate's back-to-back win on father Robin Tate's Last Option in the Foxhunters, the amateurs' Gold Cup, and could only finish a valiant third. Grant Tuer was unseated by his own Backsheesh, which bolted before the start. Although reunited, the pair could not finish the race and pulled up.

Tuer fared better at Sedgefield on his own Son Of Anshan with a follow-up win, beating his Fournaught Alliance into second place. The winner now goes to the Aintree Fox Hunters. Father Edwin Tuer also had a welcome win this week with Riviere at Hexham.

Yesterday, Doncaster opened the Flat season with its traditional first day and tomorrow sees the Lincoln, the first big race of the year. In the early market, Lynda Ramsden's Lingo is as much as 25-1, while Bryan Smart's Atlantic Ace is as high as 33s. The former is a course winner, is low in the handicap and Paul Hanagan has the mount. The latter has won over the distance and has a reasonable weight. No jockey booked as we go to press.

Higher in the handicap is Mark Johnston's Albuhera (Keith Dalgleish), but with more than 500 days between tomorrow and its last run, looks opposable.

Back to the jumps game, where Richard Guest goes from strength to strength. He won last Friday at Fakenham with Mr Bossman, on Saturday at Newcastle with Nephite and at Market Rasen with Emperor's Magic.

At Newcastle, Silver Knight, Tim Easterby's representative in our 15, was a good third to Sue Smith's After Me Boys in a race in which Ferdy Murphy's Paris Pike disappointed in eighth. The West Yorkshire woman beat another of our 15 when Diceman touched off You're Special (Patrick Haslam) later, the Middleham runner on his chasing debut under man-of-the-moment Guest.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday of last week. - Hexham: Fred's In The Know (trained by N Waggott, at Spennymoor, owned by N Waggott), ridden by T Coyle; Riviere (E Tuer, Great Smeaton; Hb, R G Fairs), B Harding; Charming Admiral (A Duffield, Constable Burton; The Old Spice Girls), R McGrath.

Southwell AW: Fonthill Road (R Fahey, Butterwick; Mrs U Towell), P Hanagan; Sir Night (J Bethell, Middleham; Marcus John Lund), S Drowne; Air Of Esteem (D Nicholls, Sessay; A A Bloodstock Ltd), A Nicholls; Noble Cyrano (J O'Keeffe, Coverham; Wetherby Racing Bureau), Leanne Kershaw (claiming 5lbs allowance).

Friday. - Lingfield AW: Only One Legend (T Easterby, Great Habton; The Four Ball Partnership), K Fallon.

Fakenham: Mr Bossman (R Guest, Brancepeth; T N Siviter), Mr L McGrath.

Saturday. - Newcastle: Nephite (R Guest; N B Mason), R Guest; Kieran (Harry Hogarth, Stillington; Hogarth Racing), David O'Meara; Temple Dog (Tom Tate, Tadcaster; The Ivy Syndicate), R Guest.

Market Rasen: Spainkris (Andy Crook, Coverham; M Wainwright), Graham Lee; Highbank (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; D H & C Thrower), Paddy Aspell (5); Benefit (Lynn Siddall, Colton; Hb, Mrs D Ibbotson), Tom Siddall (3); Emperor's Magic (R Guest; N B Mason), Henry Oliver.

Monday. - Wetherby: Gastornis (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Lord Daresbury), Mr Gino Carenza (5); Altay (R Fahey; R M Jeffs & J Potter), Padge Whelan (3); Left Bank (M Reveley; C C Buckley), Alan Dempsey; Deep Water (Micky Hammond, Middleham; The County Set) Tony Dobbin; Enhancer (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; Mrs J Whitaker), Ciaran Eddery (7).

Tuesday. - Sedgefield: Lord Capitaine (Howard Johnson, Crook; The Scottish Steeplechasing Partnership), G Lee; Son Of Anshan (Grant Tuer, Great Smeaton; G Tuer), Mr G Tuer (5).

Southwell (turf): Star Councel (Brian Rothwell, Musley Bank; Mrs Liz Hunt), J Mogford; Dark Character (A Swinbank; Leading Star Racing Group), Jim Crowley.

Wednesday. - No DST area winners