MAGNIFICENT MICKY Hammond struck at Catterick on Friday with a first and last race double.

Stormin' Native took the first division of the NH novice hurdle under Brian Harding, with our tip Dix Bay (Mick Easterby) a long way back in third. Tysou, as we suggested, landed the closing novice hurdle under young Dominic Elsworth. Both these Hammond horses should go on to win again.

We were right about Red Imp in the second division of the NH novice event, Norman Mason's tough gelding just beating Hammond's Colourful Life. Ferdy Murphy's Count Karmuski, also tipped here, duly won the handicap chase under Adrian Maguire.

Tim Easterby was successful in the novice chase with Monarch's Pursuit and Tim Walford, well known in point-to-point circles, had his first winner as a trainer when Donnegale was partnered by JP McNamara to a game success in the handicap hurdle.

Mick Easterby had a double the day before, Richard McGrath partnering Banker Count at Kelso and an all-weather win with Jorrocks, following up with Silver Socks on Monday.

Malcolm Jefferson's excellent novice Dibea Times might go for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, owner Ray Anderson Green said after an easy Kelso win, adding that his ex-French four-year-old was mature. Also entered for the Festival novice event, Green said that race would probably carry a maximum field.

Peter Beaumont's Hunters Tweed, winner of the first at Kelso, may also be destined for the Festival, the Stearsby trainer said. He pulled out Young Kenny from the Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter on Saturday, where Ackzo (Ferdy Murphy) was also missing.

Mary Reveley took the only DST area honours at the Midlands track when The Major, Tony Dobbin up in the well-known Robert Ogden colours, won the novice handicap chase. This, in fact, was the only weekend winner for us, as Wetherby was called off through waterlogging.

Peter Niven came within three of his 1,000th career winner when partnering June's River for Mrs Reveley at Carlisle.

Ferdy Murphy shone at Carlisle with an Adrian Maguire double, Mulligan Express and Narrow Water. Murphy has been given permission for satellite stables in Newmarket and was in France on Tuesday, so his duo were saddled by assistant John Supple.

Once again, the all-weather came into its own, as much of the turf racing was off. Richard Fahey, David Barron and David Chapman were all on the scoreboard.

We must mention again Karl Burke, whose AW wins have now entered double figures this year. Although still based in Newmarket, he is to complete the purchase of Spigot Lodge on Thursday, he said this week, and is looking forward to completing his move to Middleham.

Ferdy Murphy's Ichi Beau is down for the novice handicap chase this afternoon at Newbury and, if running, could go close.

Newbury tomorrow should see Mary Reveley's Function Dream land the Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase. At Haydock, Ben Orde-Powlett, Lord Bolton's grandson who rides out for Ferdy Murphy, is down to ride his father Harry Orde-Powlett's Gikongoro and all of Wensleydale at the least wishes him good luck (televised, 4.10).

At Ayr, the most interesting race, also on TV, is the 4.25. Early entries include Robbo (Mrs Reveley), Red Marauder (Norman Mason) and two of Murphy's, Ballinclay King and Native Wit.

Catterick's longest and most valuable race of the jumping season, the Alphameric Red Onion Grand National Trial, heads a seven-race programme tomorrow.

All the winners

Key: All UK racing is now National Hunt (jumps), except for all-weather flat racing (AW). F=furlong (8f=1mile). Chs=steeplechase; hdl=hurdles race; NHf=National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb=homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Kelso: (hdl) Hunters Tweed (trained by Peter Beaumont, at Stearsby; owned by Robert Gibbons), ridden by Russ Garritty; (hdl) Dibea Times (M Jefferson, Norton; Mr & Mrs Raymond Anderson Green), G Lee; (chs) Banker Count (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Mrs H Brown), R McGrath.

Wolverhampton AW: (8 1/2f) Jorrocks (M Easterby; S J Curtis), J Quinn; (7f) Victorious (R Fahey, Butterwick; T Staunton), J Spencer.

Friday. - Catterick: (hdl) Stormin' Native (M Hammond, Middleham; Intercity Partnership), B Harding; (hdl) Red Imp (N Mason, Crook; permit holder), P Ryan; (chs) Monarch's Pursuit (T Easterby, Great Habton; Mrs J P Connew), R Garritty; (hdl) Donnegale (T Walford, Sheriff Hutton; J Eddings), J P McNamara; (chs) Count Karmuski (F Murphy, West Witton; Hb, P E Atkinson), A Maguire; Tysou (M Hammond; Million in Mind Partnership), D Elsworth.

Southwell AW: (6f) Lord Omni (D Barron, Maunby; P Jones), D Mernagh.

Saturday. - Uttoxeter: (chs) The Major (M Reveley, Lingdale; R Ogden), T Dobbin.

Monday. - Southwell AW: (11f) Silver Socks (M Easterby; trainer), D Gibson; (7f) Bressbee (K Burke; Breakfast in America Partnership), N Callan.

Tuesday. - Carlisle: (hdl) Mulligan Express (F Murphy; P Mulligan), A Maguire; (chs) Narrow Water (F Murphy; Geljar Ltd), A Maguire; June's River (M Reveley; A Flannigan), P Niven.

Wolverhampton AW: (7f) Young Bigwig (D Chapman, Stillington; trainer), T Culhane.

Wednesday. - Lingfield AW: (6f) Charge (K Burke; N Shields), N Callan; (7f) Young Alex (K Burke; D G & D J Robinson), N Callan