Back-to-form trainer Howard Johnson grabbed the limelight with a televised 54-1 double as Catterick took centre stage on Saturday.

The North Yorkshire track provided the only afternoon action in the UK, with frost putting paid to the cards at Haydock, Kempton, Lingfield, Stratford and Down Royal in Ulster.

It sailed through a 7.30 inspection and Crook-based Johnson took full advantage to show the watching world he is back in form after saddling only five winners in the first half of 2000/1 by striking with El Salida and Stonehill.

''The horses are all right - we just need to get the weather right and get racing!'' he said.

''I have just got a lot of young horses, and the bad weather hasn't helped.''

Fortune appeared to smile on four-length winner El Salida (9-1) in the stanleybet.co.uk Handicap Hurdle as 1-3 favourite Shrivar - subject of a bet of £20,000 to win £8,000 - looked set to pounce when falling two flights from home.

But Johnson stressed: ''You can never be frightened of one horse and you never know what would have happened if the favourite hadn't fallen.

''El Salida has been going well at home. He was making a little noise there and we might see the vet and get a little job done on his throat. He will improve a lot for it and make a nice novice chaser.''

Stonehill (9-2), ridden like his stable-mate by Tony Dobbin, took the two-mile stanleybet.co.uk Novices' Handicap Chase entirely on merit, conceding 17lb to Little Worsall and holding off the runner-up by three-quarters of a length.

''He really wants two and a half miles and better ground,'' Johnson said. ''But he is all right and I hope he will win again.''

Shagreen started 11-8 favourite to complete a hat-trick for the stable in the Leeming Handicap Chase but trailed in seventh behind Movie Man, who scored by four lengths despite jumping badly right at the last fence.

The winner provided small compensation for Peter Beaumont, still reeling from the setback which has ruled his Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Bobby Grant out for the season.

''We had just got Bobby Grant to the top of his form,'' the trainer said. ''You've just got to enjoy the little winners like this.''

Conditional jockey Tom Siddall showed fine tactical nous to land the Swale Novices' Hurdle on 9-4 chance Winchester.

Determined to bring his mount's stamina fully into play in the extended three-mile event, he took up the running from the third flight but kept enough in reserve to hold off Ashgar in the closing stages and score by two and a half lengths.

''He ran a blinder when second at Haydock last time but I felt Tom should have gone for home earlier and I said to him he mustn't let it end up as a sprint,'' said trainer Malcolm Jefferson.

''This is a big, backward horse who has just come to himself. He jumped brilliantly and he will make a lovely novice chaser next season.

''He only cost about £700 as a foal but he is a grand horse and a tough little character.''

Shrivar's trainer Mary Reveley suffered another odds-on reverse as 4-5 chance The Major unseated Alan Dempsey two fences from home in the Bedale Novices' Chase when looking the probable winner.

That presented victory to Sue Smith's Tashreef, who had been beaten over 25 lengths by the favourite when fourth over this course and distance last time out.

l Istabraq returned to a hero's reception after bouncing back in style with an emphatic victory at Leopardstown.

Cheers rang out round the winner's enclosure for Ireland's most popular jumper, silencing those who had doubted the three-time champion hurdler since his fall on the same course on New Year's Eve.

He romped to a fourth straight win in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.

Ironically it was Moscow Flyer, who won the race on New Year's Eve who came to grief this time, hitting the deck two flights from home when in the lead.

That handed the advantage to Istabraq, sent off 4-11 favourite, who had already looked to have his measure at that stage. And after a fine leap at the last he passed the post 4 lengths clear