WHILE the south froze and racing was off last Saturday, the north came up trumps with Catterick providing an interesting card for TV viewers as Lingfield was again full of icy lumps.

The real surprise for us was not so much that we had racing here, but that Mary Reveley, the course's most successful trainer with runners that day, had a disappointing and fruitless time.

Novice hurdler Shrivar, odds on to win the handicap hurdle and destined for Cheltenham, fell at the last while looking every inch the winner. Shrivar also failed to bring Peter Niven to within four of his 1,000 wins.

Lurpak Legend, well backed in the next, was diasappointing under Alan Dempsey, who was later unseated from The Major, favourite to land the novice chase. Mrs Reveley's bumper runner, Penguin Bay, could only manage seventh.

However, Howard Johnson had a well-merited double, Tony Dobbin partnering both. El Salida landed Shrivar's race and Stonehill took the next.

Mick Easterby sent out the first two home in the bumper, Kaizen beating stable-mate Preston Brook. The winner may go for the Cheltenham Festival bumper.

Malcolm Jefferson took the opener with Winchester, a bargain Doncaster sales yearling purchase for Mrs Debbie Hughes, wife of the Wetherby racecourse vet Keith Hughes. Steve Clark, whose father-in-law is David Chapman, won with Muhtadi after a 19-month break. Getting his winner fit included days hunting with the York and Ainsty South.

Another tale of patience was that of the Peter Beaumont-trained Movie Man, who missed 18 months after a cracked kneebone. Owner-breeder Mrs Betty Dixon and her husband Robert, who come from Raskelf, were pleased with Saturday's win.

Wetherby also went ahead on Monday and Patrick Haslam's very useful Bustling Rio won under amateur Ben Hitchcott. Jim Turner is looking at the Grand National for Bold Action after his win, while Micky Hammond brought Hombre to a win at the ripe old age of six. Once with Bill Watts on the flat, this was the gelding's first ever win, pleasing owner Rod Bickensen.

Elite Racing owners thronged the winners circle when Knighted won for Tim Easterby. Ferdy Murphy praised Adrian Maguire after his win in the bumper on Tombazaan.

Mary Reveley did have a winner during the week, Lord Lamb scoring at Leicester under Anthony Ross. This was bred at Coverham by Sally Hall and is one of her successful "Lamb" family.

Southwell held a jumps meeting on Wednesday and Micky Hammond won with All Trix, keeping up the stable's good form. Norman Mason was dreaming of National plans for novice hurdles winner Tyneandthyneagain - but some year in the future.

Despite Lingfield's weekend freeze-up, the all-weather has once again provided much of the week's fare. No-one has used the opportunity better than Brian Rothwell, who sent out three winners in as many days at Southwell and Wolverhampton. Boadicea The Red, Picture Mee and Impish Lad provided his run of three.

On Saturday, Wolverhampton was riding so slowly, because it was so deep, that the jockeys recommended a break for the surface to be rolled for the sake of the horses. Patrick Haslam's AW run continued with the consistent Pipe Music at the course the day before and Richard Fahey won there with the aptly named Victorious on Tuesday.

Jorrocks is a real Southwell specialist and Mick Easterby's runner scored there again on Friday for the fourth time in five races since November.

Today, if Doncaster survives, Tweed could land the opener. In the Great Yorkshire tomorrow, it would be no surprise to see Ferdy Murphy win with Star To The North, but Norman Mason could also be thereabouts with Red Striker or Red Marauder - he has a way of scooping the big ones.

ALL THE WINNERS

All meetings in the UK are now National Hunt (jumps) meetings except for all-weather flat, AW. Chs = steeplechase; Hdl = hurdles race; NHf = NH flat race/bumper. Hb = Homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Wolverhampton AW: (15f) Pipe Music (trained by Patrick Haslam, at Middleham; owned by Middleham Park Racing II), ridden by Stan Finnamore.

Friday. - Southwell AW: (7f) Boadicea The Red (Brian Rothwell, Musley Bank; Mrs D E Sharp), Michael Fenton; Jorrocks (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Stephen J Curtis), Jimmy Quinn.

Saturday. - Catterick: (hdl) Winchester (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Mr & Mrs K Hughes), Tom Siddall; (hdl) Muhtadi (Steve Clark, Sutton-on-the-Forest; permit holder), Vinny Keane; (hdl) El Salida (Howard Johnston, Crook; David M Fulton), Tony Dobbin; (chs) Stonehill (Howard Johnson; The Braw Partnership), Tony Dobbin; Movie Man (Peter Beaumont, Stearsby; Hb, Mrs E Dixon), Dennis Gratton; (NHf) Kazen (Mick Easterby; Dr James Hollowood), Adam Jones.

Wolverhampton AW: (9f) Picture Mee (B Rothwell; The Three County Partnership), M Fenton.

Monday. - Wetherby: (hdl) Bustling Rio (P Haslam; Rio Stainless Engineering Ltd), Mr B Hitchcott; (hdl) Knighted (T Easterby, Great Habton; Elite Racing Club), R Garritty; (chs) Bold Action (J Turner, Norton-le-Clay; Mrs S Blakeley), A Smith; (chs) Hombre (M Hammond, Middleham; R D Bickenson), B Harding; (NHf) Tombazaan (F Murphy, West Witton; F T Wilson), A Maguire.

Southwell AW: (8f) Impish Lad (B Rothwell; Mrs L Beharrell), D Mernagh.

Tuesday. - Leicester: (chs) Lord Lamb (M Reveley, Lingdale; Mr A Sharratt & Mr J Renton), A Ross.

Wolverhampton AW: (7f) Victorious (R Fahey, Butterwick; T Staunton), J Spencer.

Wednesday. - Southwell turf: (chs) All Trix (M Hammond; A D Stewart), B Harding; (hdl) Tyneandthyneagain (N Mason, Crook; permit holder), R Guest