IT wasn't just the National which brought great joy at Aintree as several of our heroes triumphed, some unexpectedly, while others were not shamed in defeat in the soft going.

Barton returned to glory days as Tony Dobbin partnered Sir Stanley Clarke's Tim Easterby-trained hurdler to take the Martell Aintree Hurdle on Saturday. The trainer said that his Cheltenham fifth, after his Newcastle win, was still a mystery.

Russ Garritty won for the Great Habton trainer on surprise victor Garruth at 16-1 on Friday, taking the Martell Sefton Novices' Hurdle to delight Easterby. Behind him in third was Ferdy Murphy's very useful Hindiana - another day will come.

Murphy opened events on Saturday when Ballinclay King took the Martell Maghull Novices' Chase under Adrian Maguire, with Garritty third on Easterby's Simply Gifted.

Garritty also won on Thursday for Tom Tate on Aghawadda Gold in the Martell Red Rum Chase, this time with Murphy's Ichi Beau in third (Maguire). Peter Beaumont's Hunters Tweed was second in the Barton and Guestier Top Novices' Hurdle later, again Garritty having a good ride.

The Fox Hunters was nearly as eventful as the National two days later. Pity young Rupert Abrahams, who rode for Fiona Needham on Calleva Star - the pair only lasted as far as the first.

Dougie Jemmeson's Middleham runner, Red Spectacle, lost a prominent place under Nigel Tutty at the Canal Turn and later refused after being hampered. The race was won by Gunner Welburn (Caroline Bailey, Mr Julian Pritchard) and only six finished.

On Friday, Norman Mason gave an early foretaste of his National chances when Red Striker won the Heidsieck Diamant Bleu Novices' Chase, finishing 11 lengths clear. Direct Route (Howard Johnson) was third in his bid to take a hat-trick of John Hughes Trophies.

Aintree perhaps overshadowed the rest of the week, but noted were Mark Johnston's return to form, a first-time win for Patick Haslam's new apprentice Paul Mulrennan, 18, and Kieran Fallon and Kevin Darley both taking wins for our area's trainers.

George Duffield partnered a winner for wife Ann. Nigel Tinkler got off the mark with a Pat Eddery-ridden winner, Charming Lotte. Dean Mernagh's new job continues well as he won again for David Barron.

Micky Hammond, former leading jumps jockey and now a top trainer at Middleham, is to quit racing at the end of the month. The announcement by the 38-year-old on Tuesday shook the racing world.

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. - Aintree NH: (chs) Aghawadda Gold (trained by Tom Tate, at Tadcaster; owned by The Ivy Syndicate), ridden by Russ Garritty.

Friday. - Aintree NH: (chs) Red Striker (Norman Mason, Crook; permit holder), Richard Guest; (hdl) Garruth (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; M P Burke), Russ Garritty.

Saturday. - Aintree NH: (chs) Ballinclay King (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; I Guise, B Letharday & N L Spence), Adrian Maguire; (hdl) Barton (Tim Easterby; Sir Stanley Clarke), Tony Dobbin; (chs) Red Marauder (Norman Mason), Richard Guest.

Musselburgh (13f) Robandela (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Robert Aird), Darryll Holland; (5f) Regal Song (Tim Etherington, Norton; Mrs Y Brierley), Kieran Fallon; (12f ) And Beyond (Mark Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Kevin Darley; (8f) Lennel (Denys Smith, Bishop Auckland; Evelyn Duchess of Sutherland), Kieran Fallon.

Monday. - Southwell AW: (11f) Perchancer (P Haslam, Middleham; N P Given), Paul Mulinennan.

Tuesday. - Pontefract: (6f) Charming Lotte (Nigel Tinkler, Langton; Mike Gosse), Pat Eddery; (10f) Shayadi (Mark Johnston; Bill Wilson), Darryll Holland.

Southwell AW: (11f) White Plains (David Barron, Maunby; Nigel Shields), Dean Mernagh; (7f) La Sylphyde (Ann Duffield, Constable Burton; Mrs S E Turnbull), George Duffield; (14f) The Butterwick Kid (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Mr Robert Chambers & Mrs M W Kenyon), Paul Hanagan; (7f) Tancred Arms (David Barker, Scorton; Miss A Cliff), Tyrone Williams; (5f) Henry Tun (Julie Craze, Elvington; Hb, Mrs O Tunstall), Tyrone Williams.

Wednesday. - No DST area runners at Lingfield.