TRUCKERS Tavern scooped the Peter Marsh at Haydock in splendid fashion on Saturday, Ferdy Murphy's charge beating Hussard Collonges, the 3-1 favourite, inside the final few yards. It was another big win for his new yard by rider Davy Russell.

Truckers Tavern has improved greatly and is on course for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup at the Festival. Murphy sent the gelding to Yogi Breisner for a three-day jumping session after the eight-year-old fell at Ascot last month and the work paid off on Saturday.

The winner was so well afterwards, Murphy thought about running him tomorrow in the Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham, but later this week decided to wait for the Aon Chase at Newbury in a fortnight.

Hussard Collonges, one of our Fifteen to Follow, was 15lbs worse off and pleased trainer Peter Beaumont. He may now go the Jodami route to the Gold Cup, taking in the Irish Hennessy first.

Our old favourite Barton, who trailed in, will have come on for the race, the first after such a long lay-off.

In a week where the weather was curate's eggish, Murphy and Russell clocked up three other wins where they could.

Family Venture won at Musselburgh last Thursday, while Inn Antique became one for the notebook at a soggy Sedgefield, coming home easily ahead of the rest.

Be Upstanding pleased on Wednesday at Fakenham, although Russell had to work towards the end to keep him going, having hit the front two out.

Howard Johnson's Lord Transcend, Tony Dobbin up, took the Grade 2 Premier Stayers' Hurdle on Saturday and may reappear at Aintree.

Mary Reveley had a big-time Saturday handicap win at Kempton when Ruby Walsh, in treble form, partnered Il Cavaliere.

At Catterick, another of our Fifteen, Silver Knight, duly won the novice hurdle, the second leg of a Tim Easterby double for young jockey David O'Meara. His first was on Edmo Heights, holding on by the narrowest of margins.

Graham Lee had a Sedgfield treble, taking the opener for Howard Johnson on Grattan Lodge in the Doug Jemmeson "Lifetime in Racing" Handicap Hurdle, one of a series of races named after well-known connections of the game.

He added a win for Ginger McCain (of Red Rum fame) and the bumper on Farne Isle, trained by Geoff Harker at Wensley, who celebrated his 37th birthday the day before.

David "Joe" Thompson, 41, head lad and former jockey to Denys Smith, is set to train in his own right.

His father-in-law, Alan Moore, who trains under permit at Bolam, near Darlington, is to hand over the training to Thompson in a partnership arrangement.

He started as a Flat apprentice with Smith before becoming a jumps pilot, riding 23 winners between 1979 and 1986.

We were sad to read of the death of Gunner B, one of National Hunt racing's most influential stallions, at the age of 30.

His son Red Marauder won the Grand National for Norman Mason and was to have run again this weekend, but after working this week the plans were put on hold.

He and his brother, Red Striker, another by Gunner B, and the stable-mate Red Ark, are all entered in this year's National. Striker may yet run this weekend.

The Great Yorkshire tomorrow at Doncaster has Andy Crook's Ryalux, another of our Fifteen, as a firm entry. We recommend taking each way early.

Also entered are Mary Reveley's Robbo, who may have his winning head on again and be worth each way support, while a win for Gunner Welburn, not from hereabouts but another Gunner B offspring, would be a fitting memorial to the old stallion.

ON THE LEVEL

Ann Stokell's Flying Treaty is a marvel. He won again at Southwell on Thursday last, beating Loyal Tycoon (David Nicholls).

The runner-up went on to score at Lingfield on Saturday, his first run on the Polytrack.

Tim Etherington sent down Karminskey Park to score over five furlongs, ridden by Joe Fanning, who had advised trying the mare over that trip.

Flying Treaty's rider, apprentice Dominic Fox, had his first treble on Thursday, also adding wins for Patrick Haslam on Peter Hill-Walker's Maunby Roller and George Moore on Mai Tai, in the colours of Keith Nicholson.

Karl Burke and David Barron were among those scoring at Wolverhampton.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Southwell AW: (7f hcp) Flying Treaty (trained by Ann Stokell, at Brompton-on-Swale; owned by R J Buxton), ridden by Dominic Fox (clmg 7lbs appr allowance); 8f appr clmr) Maunby Roller (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; P A Hill-Walker), Dominic Fox (5); (11f sllr) Mai Tai (George Moore, Middleham; Keith Nicholson), Dominic Fox (7).

Friday. - Musselburgh: (Sllr hdl) Hoh Invader (Ann Duffield, Constable Burton; Exors of the lade N Miggley), Michael Naughton; (nov chs) Roveretto (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Hb, Codan trust Co Ltd), Fegal King (5); (hcp hdl) Family Venture (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; The Family Venture Partnership), Davy Russell; (NHf) Pass Me By (Tom Walford, Sheriff Hutton; Mrs M Cooper), Jim Crowley.

Saturday. - Kempton: (Hcp hdl) Il Cavaliere (Mary Reveley; The Thoughtful Partnership), Ruby Walsh.

Haydock: (Gd 2 Stayers hdl) Lord Transcend (Howard Johnson, Crook; Transcend (Hair and Beauty) Ltd), Tony Dobbin; (Gd 2 ltd hcp chs) Truckers Tavern (Ferdy Murphy; Mrs M B Scholey), Davy Russell.

Catterick: (Nov chs) Winchester (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Mr & Mrs K Hughes), Padge Whelan (3); (hcp hdl) Edmo Heights (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Edmolift UK Ltd) David O'Meara (3); (nov hdl) Silver Knight (FtF) (Tim Easterby; C H Stephens), David O'Meara (3); (cond mdn NHf) Random Native (Jimmy FitzGerald, Norton; Jim Ennis), Charlie Weaver.

Lingfield AW: (5f hcp) Karminski (Im Etherington, Norton; Wold House Partnership), Joe Fanning; (6f cnds) Loyal Tycoon (David Nicholls, Sessay; Michael A J Hall & MRs Mandy Hall), Tony Hamilton (5).

Wolverhampton AW ev: (9f hcp) Spitfire Bob (David Barron, Maunby; Nigel Shields), Neil Callan.

Monday. - Wolverhampton AW: (8f hcp) Littlemissattitude (Karl Burke, Coverham; Nigel Shields), Keith Dalgleish.

Tuesday. - Sedgefield: (hcp hdl) Grattan Lodge (Howard Johnson; W M G Black), Graham Lee; (nov hdl) Inn Antique (Ferdy Murphy; W G Gott), Davy Russell; (NHf) Garne Isle (Geoff Harker, Wensley; M G Spence), Graham Lee.

Southwell AW: (6f sllr div 1) If By Chance (Ian McInnes, Malton; M & M Racing), Robert Winston (winner bought after for £5,000); (div 2) Festive Affair (Bryan Smart, Hambleton; Miss N Jefford), P J Scallon (3).

Wednesday. - Fakenham: (nov hcp chs) Be Upstanding (Ferdy Murphy; M Holmes), Davy Russell