"IT'S a bit of an animal" runs the advertising slogan for a certain salami-style sausage snack and Tim Easterby's star of this week is certainly as tough as his name would imply.

Pepperoni landed the Ripon Hornblower Stakes on Saturday and followed up at the York Ebor meeting on Wednesday by taking the Costcutter Roses Stakes, both times ridden by ace jockey Michael Roberts.

Easterby described Pepperoni as a superstar of a horse, tough and genuine. "He goes racing, does his job and goes back home and eats up. They don't come around like him very often."

Former Ripon trainer Peter Calver had advised owners Janis and Kenneth Macpherson to buy him as a yearling for 15,000 guineas - Calver is now their racing manager - and the investment paid off.

This is not the first time the Great Habton trainer has achieved this double-in-a-week as Buy Or Sell took the same pair of races in 1999.

Easterby had also landed the Lowther at the Ebor meeting that year with Jemima and as we go to press our hopes ride with his Good Girl.

Bollin Nellie ran well for him and owner-breeders Sir Neil and Lady Westbrook to take the European Breeders Fillies handicap over 10f at Ripon, again under Michael Roberts, while the night before at Catterick's evening meeting, Silver Band won under good apprentice Keith Dalgleish.

First blood for the north at the Ebor meeting went to James Bethell, who sent out Borders Belle, a long-priced winner of the Ladbrokes Knavesmire handicap.

The Middleham trainer chose Joanna Badger to partner his filly and Mitsuku, who was unplaced in the York nursery later.

Mark Johnston had no York wins as we went to press, but Yavana's Pace slogged through Haydock's heavy going to win on Saturday night under Joe Fanning.

The jockey added another for the Kingsley House yard, winning at Hamilton on Racing Bailey's. This, and another for Scottish trainer Linda Perratt, brought Fanning to 51 wins this year, including seven on the all-weather.

Daryll Holland was also in double form at Hamilton, having taken three at Pontefract's Sunday meeting, winning for Alan Swinbank and Nigel Tinkler.

The latter was in Peter Savill's colours on Goretski and the Savill family also doubled up as Mrs Savill's silks were seen winning the opener, worn by Jamie Mackay on Whistling Dixie, another Mary Reveley winner.

Karl Burke took a Musselburgh brace on Wednesday and Alan Swinbank, the Melsonby trainer, brought up his 18th for the season when Loblite Leader won the amateur race under Paudge Whelan, the rider's third. Whelan is attached to Richard Fahey's yard and his second win was at Beverley last week when partnering a Dandy Nicholls' winner.

The Sessay trainer was also on the mark for his own racing club when Hyde Park won at Catterick, son Adrian Nicholls in the saddle.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Key: All meetings are Flat on turf, except: NH=National Hunt (jumps) meetings; and AW=all-weather flat racing. *=evening meeting. f=furlong (8f=1mile); chs=steeplechase; hdl=hurdles race; NHf=National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb=homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Beverley: (8f) Hormuz (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by The Knavesmire Alliance), ridden by Mr Paudge Whelan.

Friday. - Newcastle: (7f) Miss Opulence (Vicki Haigh, Bawtry; trainer), Lee Enstone; (10f) Hard Lines (Andy Crook, Middleham; Intercity Partnership), George Duffield; (10f) Finn McCool (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Yorkshire Racing Club Owners Group), Paul Fessey.

Catterick*: (6f) Silver Band (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Giles W Pritchard-Gordon), Keith Dalgleish; (7f) Hyde Park (D Nicholls; Dandy Nicholls Racing Club), Adrian Nicholls

Saturday. - Ripon: (6f) Pepperoni (T Easterby; Mrs Janis Macpherson), Michael Roberts; (10f) Bollin Nellie (T Easterby; Hb, Lady Westbrook), M Roberts; (6f) Consensus (Mel Brittain, Warthill; Northgate Lodgers), Tyrone Williams.

Haydock*: (16f) Litzinzky (Charles Booth, Foston; Hb, Mrs A M Lyons), John McAuley; (12f) Yavana's Pace (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Hb, Mrs Joan Keaney), Joe Fanning; (10f) Itsanothergirl (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Joanne Widdop and Partners), Philip Robinson.

Sunday. - Pontefract: (12f) Sporting Gesture (M Easterby; Steve Hull), Dale Gibson.

Monday. - Nottingham: (6f) Eastern Blue (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; T C Chiang), P Fessey.

Tuesday. - York: (12f) Borders Belle (James Bethell, Coverham; M J Dawson), Joanna Badger.

Hamilton: (12f) Whistling Dixie (Mary Reveley, Lingdale: Mrs P D Savill), Jamie Mackay; Racing Bailey's (M Johnston; G R Baileys Ltd (Baileys Horse Feeds), J Fanning; (9f) Just Murphy (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; B Valentine), Darryll Holland; (5f) Goretski (Nigel Tinkler, Langton; P D Savill), D Holland.

Wednesday. - York: (5f) Pepperoni (T Easterby; Mrs Janis Macpherson), M Roberts.

Musselburgh: (12f) Hibernate (Karl Burke, Coverham; Nigel Shields), Darren Williams; (5f) Pop The Cork (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; County Lane Partnership), Dale Gibson; (8f) Inchcoonan (K Burke; David McKenzie), T Williams; (14f) Loblite Leader (A Swinbank; Montagu Bloodstock), Mr P Whelan.