EVEN the stable cat could win - the old racing clich held true for David "Dandy" Nicholls, Mark Johnston and all the Easterby family, who continued this week as they left off last.

Following Nicholls' Newmarket double (apologies for the wrong headline moving them to Newcastle), the Sessay trainer took a Friday double at York thanks to American Cousin and Peartree House.

The former was ridden by his son Adrian, the latter by Joe Fanning, who is on song this season. Peartree House beat stable-mate Hormuz, partnered by Adrian.

Fanning also partnered a Johnston winner, Mr and Mrs G Middlebrook's homebred Love Everlasting, beating stable-mate Mana D'Argent under Keith Dalgleish.

The trainer also doubled up with course specialist Ice, Kevin Darley sporting David Abell's distinctive pale colours.

Middleham near-neighbour James Bethell sent out a distance double for owner Mike Dawson (whose Mine won last Wednesday), John Reid winning on Martin House at York at a rewarding 33-1 and on Streetton that evening at Chester.

Saturday saw another Johnston double, Akbar winning well at York under Kevin Darley and Falcon Hill landing the Ascot nursery under Michael Roberts.

Sunday's winner was at Haydock, where Dalgleish was aboard Celtic Mission.

Nicholls had opened the meeting with another sprint winner, Kieren Fallon partnering Flak Jacket.

Johnston rounded off the week with a Wednesday winner at Kempton, Lots Of Love ridden by Michael Roberts.

Three of the six on the card went to Yorkshire winners, Karl Burke and John Quinn taking one apiece.

As for the Easterby clan, winners came at Nottingham for Tim with My American Beauty, for uncle Mick at Haydock with Soporific and for Tim's brother-in-law Richard Fahey with Pandjojoe and Istihsaan at Hamilton and Ayr respectively.

Kim Tinkler rode a Newcastle double, the first on Falcon Goa for husband and trainer Nigel Tinkler, the second for Don Enrico Incisa on Patsy Culsyth.

Their nephew Andrew Tinkler, 16, the son of former jockey Colin, had a riding win for Malcolm Jefferson at the Hamilton amateurs' race.

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. - No DST area winners.

Friday. - York: (5f) American Cousin (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by Middleham Park Racing XIV), ridden by Adrian Nicholls; (8f) Peartree House (David Nicholls; G Vettraino & Fayzad Thoroughbreds), Joe Fanning; (12f) Love Everlasting (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Hb, Mr & Mrs G Middlebrook), Joe Fanning; (8f) Ice (Mark Johnston; J David Abell), Kevin Darley; (7f) Martin House (James Bethell, Middleham; M J Dawson).

Southwell AW: (8f) Forty Forte (Karl Burke, Coverham; Nigel Shields), Neil Callan.

Chester*: (10f) Stretton (James Bethell; M J Dawson), John Reid.

Hamilton*: (11f amateur) Merryvale Man (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Hb, Arthur Symons Key), Mr Andrew Tinkler; (13f) Whistling Dixie (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Mrs P D Savill), Dean Mernagh; (6f) Pandjojoe (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Northumbria Leisure Ltd), Sam Hitchcott; (9f) Dispol Foxtrot (Steve Kettlewell, Middleham; W B Imison), Dean Mernagh.

Saturday. - York: (14f Listed) Akbar (Mark Johnston; Markus Graff), Kevin Darley.

Ascot: (6f nursery) Falcon Hill (Mark Johnston; Tweenhills Syndicate (May Hill Syndicate)), Michael Roberts.

Nottingham: (5f) My American Beauty (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Peter G Gorvin), Joe Fanning.

Sunday. - Haydock: (5f) Flak Jacket (David Nicholls; The Knavesmire Alliance), Kieren Fallon; (12f) Celtic Mission (Mark Johnston; C H Racing Partnership), Keith Dalgleish; (6f) Soporific (Mick Easterby; M P Burke), Kieren Fallon.

Monday. - Ayr: (7f) Captain Venti (John Quinn, Settrington; Mrs S Quinn), Robert Winston; (7f) Istihsaan (Richard Fahey; Mrs Janis Macpherson), Kieren Fallon.

Wolverhampton NH (turf)*: (chs) Orange Order (George Moore, Middleham; Mrs A Roddis), Russ Garritty.

Tuesday. - Beverley: (7f) Uhoomagoo (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Platinum Racing Club Ltd), Fergal Lynch; (5f) Leaping Charlie (Ann Duffield, Constable Burton; Starnotes Racing), John Carroll.

Wednesday. - Lingfield: (7f) Legal Set (Karl Burke; Platinum Racing Club Ltd), Darren Williams; (6f) Fantasy Believer (John Quinn; The Fantasy Fellowship), Kieren Fallon; (7f) Lots Of Love (Mark Johnston; M Doyle), Michael Roberts.

Newcastle: (12f) Desert Fighter (Mary Reveley; A Frame), Tony Culhane; (5f) Falcon Goa (Nigel Tinkler, Great Langton; Racingclub.Co.Uk), Kim Tinkler; (6f) Patsy Culsyth (Don Enrico Incisa, Coverham; traienr), Kim Tinkler; (12f) Cyber Santa (James Hetherton, Malton; Qualitair Holdings Ltd), Dale Gibson.

Doncaster*: (5f) Lone Piper (Jedd O'Keeffe, Middleham; P Smith), David Nolan; (8f) Kestrel (Tim Etherington, Norton; The R and R Partnership), Carl Lowther