GOLDEN Wells followed up his Musselburgh maiden win in impressive fashion at Newbury on Saturday, landing the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Conditions Stakes under a positive Kevin Darley ride. This son of Sadlers Wells could go on to greater things.
For trainer Mark Johnston this was only one of several good things in a week which showed the Middleham stable was firing on all cylinders. Ripon on Thursday last - and how good it was to see the course in action again - saw his Peter Savill homebred Tomasino land the mile and a half handicap by a clear five lengths under Joe Fanning.
Savill, the British Horseracing Board chairman, was on a rare visit to Yorkshire to welcome his son of Celtic Swing to the winner's circle.
Another three-year-old, the filly Sophielu, won at Musselburgh under Darley, while apprentice Keith Dalgleish, who looks to have benefited from his winter in Dubai, had a first win on the Epsom course when partnering Roman King to victory on Wednesday.
Near-things Double Honour, second at Newmarket, and Albuhera, runner-up at Newbury, should go one better for Kingsley House next time out.
The big mile handicap at Newbury on Saturday saw Lynda Ramsden with a first winner since her return to the UK and her old base at Sandhutton. Robert Winston earned her praise as he partnered Mastermind to this success, with Richard Fahey's Vintage Premium not disgraced in third.
The older riders had a good week, but the apprentices also shone. At Ripon, Paul Hanagan, Fahey's apprentice, won for his guv'nor on Lady Bear, notching his first double as he also won for Lincolnshire trainer Charles Smith earlier.
Joan Flynn, 18, had a debut win on her second racecourse ride for her boss Kevin Ryan.
Fallon won for Richard Whitaker on a rare southern trip for the Yorkshire trainer to Windsor, when old boy Lago Di Varano, nine, showed he was as good as ever.
Up at Pontefract, evergreen jockey George Duffield won for his wife Ann on the third-time-lucky Charming Admiral, runner-up in the same distance race for the past two years.
Another veteran, Pat Eddery, won at Nottingham for John Quinn, who also took the Ripon opener last week thanks to Fergal Lynch.
Tyrone Williams is also on song and won at Musselburgh for Mel Brittain on Dolfinesse and at Pontefract for Julie Craze on Tom Tun, the sprinter's 13th win.
Middleham trainer Karl Burke was fined £1,000 and his runner Countrywide Star banned for 40 days, while jockey Neil Callan was suspended for seven days, when the Warwick stewards felt the horse had not run on its merits. The trainer said afterwards that the horse had a history of bad joints and the ground was "virtually unraceable".
Over the jumps, Paddy's Return alas got rid of J P McNamara in the Scottish National (Racing Week apologises for the mental aberration in forgetting that Adrian Maguire could not ride that day for a whip ban). Ferdy Murphy had better fortune the day before with Ichi Beau and won at Perth with What A Wonder, amateur Adrian O'Keeffe coming in for praise.
Grand National heroes Norman Mason and Richard Guest took a race at Perth with Nosam.
Andy Turnell and jockey Graham Lee made a rare south-western raid to Exeter and won with Noble Pasao.
Looking at the weekend, Mason and Guest have Red Striker entered today at Perth and at Sandown - this could win either race. Biggest danger in Sandown's novice event is Crocadee, but that holds an alternate entry in tomorrow's Whitbread Gold Cup.
For that, Inn At The Top has been specially shaped for the race, but also entered is Micky Hammond's last big race runner, Heidi III, with each-way prospects.
Andy Crook, 46, Hammond's long-time head lad, has been given permission to take over the reins at Oakwood Stables from Tuesday and Racing Week wishes him well.
Tim Easterby has Barton entered in today's Sandown distance hurdle, as well as tomorrow's Coral Eurobet Championship event - Tony Dobbin is booked for then and that looks the choice. In today's he also lists Garruth, Russ Garritty up, and this could go close. Garruth is among all the jumpers owned by Martyn Burke which will be sent to the Doncaster Spring Sales.
At Perth today, Peter Niven might finally crack that 1,000th winner, with Peter Beaumont's Hunters Tweed.
Tomorrow the C B Hutchinson Memorial Race at Ripon is televised, with a field of well-loved entries from our trainers (and, of course, elsewhere). Mark Johnston's Mana D'Argent, with Keith Dalgleish booked, is our tentative choice, while not ignoring Patrick Haslam's duo, Fiori or the consistent Nigel's Lad, or Mary Reveley's old-stager Turnpole. Johnston's form of late tips the balance.
THE WEEK'S WINNERS
Key: All meetings are now Flat on turf, except where marked: NH=National Hunt (jumps) meetings; and AW=all-weather flat racing. f=furlong (8f=1mile); chs=steeplechase; hdl=hurdles race; NHf=National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb=homebred by owner.
Thursday last week. - Ripon: (5f) Blacks Boy (trained by John Quinn, at Settrington; owned by G McKee), ridden by Fergal Lynch; (8f) Lady Bear (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; A & K Lingerie), Paul Hanagan; (12+f) Tomasino (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Hb, P D Savill), Joe Fanning; (5f) Francport (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Mrs Rose Richer), Joan Flynn.
Friday. - Ayr NH: (chs) Ichi Beau (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Mrs Fiona Butterly), J P McNamara.
Saturday. - Newbury: (10f) Golden Wells (Mark Johnston; Dr Fuk To Chang), Kevin Darley; (8f) Mastermind (Lynda Ramsden, Sandhutton; J D Martin), Robert Winston.
Monday. - Windsor: (6f) Lago Di Varano (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; The Ptb Group), Kieran Fallon.
Nottingham: (8f) China Red (John Quinn; Mrs Marie Taylor), Pat Eddery.
Pontefract: (21+f) Charming Admiral (Ann Duffield, Constable Burton; The Old Spice Girls), George Duffield; (6f) Tom Tun (Julie Craze, Elvington; Hb, Mrs O Tunstall), Tyrone Williams; (8f) Benbyas (Les Eyre, Hambleton), Hb, C H Stephenson), David Nolan.
Tuesday. - Musselburgh: (7f) Sophielu (Mark Johnston; Hertford Offset Ltd), Kevin Darley; (8f) Dolpinesse (Mel Brittan, Warthill; Steven J Box), Tyrone Williams.
Exeter NH: (hdl) Noble Pasao (Andrew Turnell, Malton; Mrs Claire Hollowood), Graham Lee.
Wednesday. - Epsom: (10f) Roman King (Mark Johnston; D J & F A Jackson), Keith Dalgleish.
Perth NH: (chs) Nosam (Norman Mason, Brancepeth; permit holder), Richard Guest; (hdl) What A Wonder (Ferdy Murphy; The Ferdy Murphy Racing Club), Mr A O'Keeffe.
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