TRUE NIGHT romped home for David Nicholls at Chester under the champion Kieren Fallon to land a fourth sprint win for the Sessay crew.

Fallon was set to ride Loyal Tycoon for Dandy at Hamilton on Monday, but was late back from Germany where he rode on Sunday, so Nicholls' son Adrian took the ride and won.

Dandy's wife Alex Greaves was in the plate to win at Brighton on Tuesday. But, this being a seller, Al Muallim did not come home to Sessay, attracting a bid of 7,000gns afterwards.

When Nicholls was himself still riding, David Chapman often used his services - and probably taught Dandy a thing or two about winning sprints. Soaked, now nine and running in Chapman's colours, took the Brighton closing handicap.

Nicholls' stable star Continent, in with every chance for the Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock tomorrow, "lost" two jockeys earlier this week. Darryll Holland is elsewhere riding Asian Heights under a retainer and Olivier Peslier fell at Saint-Cloud on Wednesday and broke a collarbone.

According to the declarations as we go to press, Keith Dalgleish has been booked - and this augurs well. But we also note stable-mate Bahamian Pirate with an eye-catching partner in Michael Hills. What price a Nicholls one-two again?

Mark Johnston's wins began at Hamilton when Dalgleish partnered the maiden, Love You Always, the latest in Mick Doyle's long line of successes.

At York, Scott's View, one of Johnston's stable stars this year, had his seventh win of the season, but had to share the spoils in a dead heat with Muhareb.

Johnston confirmed Bandari was on target for the St Leger at Doncaster on September 14, for which he is ante-post favourite. Richard Hills will be reunited with his partner, so Kevin Darley takes the mount on Tim Easterby's Bollin Eric, which we fancy to go close to the Johnston runner, given a bit of rain by then.

Tim Easterby won the York mile maiden with King's Protector, a rare Flat runner for owner Joe Buzzeo, best known for his jumpers. Apprentice Clare Roche won on Wilf Storey's stalwart Colway Ritz in the lads' and lasses' race.

Karl Burke sends runners out in every direction from his perch at Spigot Lodge, above Wensley, and it was Blue Sky Thinking who won well at Salisbury at the end of last week.

Piercebridge trainer Michael Dods is another not afraid to send his horsebox anywhere and it was pleasing to see Storyteller, a stable stalwart, win the Sandown sprint on Friday last for Karen Pratt and her solicitor husband John. Dods also sent Diamond Racket to Yarmouth to land the seller nursery.

Patrick Haslam chose young French apprentice Jean-Pierre Guillambert to partner Limbo Lad at Ripon's last day for this year and the duo won the lads' race opener. Chris Fairhurst's owner John Jackson, whose Whittle Woods landed the Great St Wilfrid in 1994, remembered that event when his youngster Whittle Warrior scooped the mile nursery.

David Barron sent out Duelling Banjos, an impressive winner at Ayr under a fine Seb Sanders ride, part of the rider's treble. Tim Etherington had a first win for two months, after a string of 22 seconds, when Lydia's Look won at Hamilton.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Salisbury: Blue Sky Thinking (trained by K Burke, at Coverham; owned by Triple Trio Partnership), ridden by R Hughes.

Fri. - Sandown: Storyteller (M Dods, Piercebridge; Mrs K S Pratt), D Gibson.

Ayr: Duelling Banjos (D Barron, Maunby; Bee d'Gees Partnership), S Sanders.

Sat. - Chester: True Night (D Nicholls, Sessay; Benton & Partners), K Fallon.

Ripon: Limbo Lad (P Haslam, Middleham; Mrs B M Hawkins), J-P Guillambert; Whittle Warrior (C Fairhurst, Middleham; J Jackson), K Dalgleish.

Market Rasen NH: Rutledge Red (M Jefferson, Norton; Ashleybanks Investments Ltd), G Lee.

Mon. - Hamilton: Love You Always (M Johnston, Middleham; M Doyle), K Dalgleish; Lydia's Look (T Etherington, Norton; Callers and Clerks), J Fanning; Short Respite (K Burke; Mrs E M Burke), P Fessey; Loyal Tycoon (D Nicholls; M J Hall & Mrs M Hall), A Nicholls.

Tue. - Brighton: Al Muallim (D Nicholls; N Smith), A Greaves; Soaked (D Chapman, Stillington; trainer), S Sanders.

Yarmouth: Diamond Racket (M Dods; R Mould), D Gibson.

Wed. - York: Scott's View (in a dead heat) (M Johnston; Great Escape Partnership), K Darley; King's Protector (T Easterby, Gt Habton; J Buzzeo), R Winston; Colway Ritz (W Storey, Muggleswick; Mrs M Tindale & T Park), C Roche (appr clm 3 lbs)