ROYAL by name at the Royal meeting, Mark Johnston sent out Royal Rebel to land the Group One Gold Cup on Thursday in battling style.

Johnny Murtagh was on board the Yorkshire raider and had to work hard throughout the race on the quirky character to bypass long-time leader Persian Punch.

Royal Rebel, in the colours of British Horseracing Board supremo Peter Savill, was not sporting his usual blinkers and responded to the jockey's urgings to beat his rival a head near the line.

Johnston said the winner may now go for the Goodwood Cup and the Doncaster Cup, again without the headgear.

Also in the prize money at Royal Ascot was David Nicholls with Lord Merlin, a close-up third in the Group Three Norfolk Stakes, while Johnston sent out Zindabad to be beaten a head in the Group Two Hardwicke Stakes on Friday.

On Saturday, the course reverted to its Ascot Heath status and David Barron sent down Muja Farewell to win well under Kevin Darley, who also won for Johnston and for Tim Easterby at Thirsk on Wednesday.

However, the champion has a fight on his hands to retain his crown as Kieren Fallon is leading in the title race. He took a double for Alan Swinbank at Pontefract, plus a win for Easterby on Clever Girl and for Julie Camacho on mother Sue's homebred Mindanao at Beverley.

Chris Fairhurst has struck a vein of good form and the Middleham trainer sent out three winners in the week - Peyto Princess, Highfield Fizz and Mike and Diane Grace's homebred Prix Star.

The last was ridden by Joe Fanning, who that evening also won for Tim Etherington and James Hetherton, adding to wins for Mark Johnston on Turku at Ripon and on Leo's Luckyman at Ayr and for Tim Easterby on My American Beauty later on that card.

Mick Easterby sent out the Ladies' Derby winner at Ripon when Serina Brotherton won on Golden Chance, following up with a win next day at Redcar on Beau Sauvage.

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. - Royal Ascot: (20f) Royal Rebel (trained by Mark Johnston, at Middleham; owned by P D Savill), ridden by Johnny Murtagh.

Ripon: (5f) Atlantic Viking (David Nicholls, Sessay; ), Alex Greaves; (8f) Turku (M Johnston; J R Good), Joe Fanning; (12f lady amateurs) Golden Chance (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; The Shooting Syndicate), Miss Serina Brotherton.

Southwell AW: (11f) China Castle (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Middleham Park Racing I and others), Michael Tebbutt.

Friday. - Redcar: (5f) Pepperoni (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Mrs Janis Macpherson), Ollie Pears; (7f) Cardinal Venture (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Tony Fawcett), Fergal Lynch; (8f lady amateurs) Beau Sauvage (M Easterby; Guy Reed), Miss S Brotherton.

Newmarket*: (8f) Swynford Pleasure (James Hetherton, Malton; Qualitair Holdings Ltd), D McGaffin.

Hexham NH*: (hdl) Supreme Silence (Jedd O'Keeffe, Middleham; Wetherby Racing Bureau), Brian Harding; (hdl) Dominikus (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; The Aarons Archer Partnership), Adrian Maguire; (hdl) Damien's Choice (F Murphy; M Sawers), A Maguire.

Saturday. - Ascot: (5f) Muja Farewell (David Barron, Maunby; T Hollins P Huntbach D Rutter W Carson), Kevin Darley.

Ayr: (7f) Leo's Luckyman (M Johnston; Mrs S J Brookhouse), J Fanning; (5f) My American Beauty (T Easterby; Peter G Gorvin), J Fanning.

Redcar: (14f) Manzoni (M Easterby; Bodfari Stud Ltd), Sam Hitchcott.

Sunday. - Pontefract: (10f) Just Murphy (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; B Valentine), Kieren Fallon; (18f) Gracilis (A Swinbank; K Elliott), K Fallon; (6f) Peyto Princess (Chris Fairhurst, Middleham; Hb, North Cheshire Trading & Storage Ltd), Tyrone Williams; (8f) Clever Girl (T Easterby; Peter C Bourke), K Fallon.

Monday. - Musselburgh: (16f) Highfield Fizz (C Fairhurst; Mrs P J Taylor-Garthwaite), T Williams; (8f) Moonlight Dancer (Karl Burke, Coverham; The Jonah's), D Williams.

Nottingham: (8f) Grain Storm (P Haslam; Mrs B M Hawkins), P Mulrennan

Tuesday. - Beverley: (12f) Mindanao (J Camacho, Norton; Hb, Mrs S Camacho), K Fallon; (12f) Once More For Luck (M Reveley, Lingdale; The Mary Reveley Racing Club), T Eaves; (5f) Pop The Cork (R Whitaker, Scarcroft; Country Lane Partnership), Helen Garrett.

Wednesday. - Thirsk: (6f) Scottish River (M Johnston; Jumeirah Racing), K Darley; (6f) Erracht (P Haslam; Lord Bolton), P Mulrennan; (8f) Kestral (T Etherington, Norton; The R and R Partnership), C Lowther; (6f) Cumbrian Harmony (T Easterby; Cumbrian Industrials Ltd), K Darley.

Hamilton*: (6f) Prix Star (C Fairhurst; Hb, M J and Mrs D Grace), J Fanning; (9f) Ace Of Trumps (J Hetherton, Malton; C D Barber-Lomax), J Fanning; (5f) Lydia's Look (T Etherington; Callers and Clerks), J Fanning.