THE FIGHTING Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle saw a triumphant return to the track by Barton.

In his first race for 596 days, Tim Easterby's unbeaten stable star made it eight wins from eight runs despite the long lay-off for his leg problem.

Tony Dobbin was the wise choice for racecourse supremo Stan Clarke's big chestnut, now that Barton's former partner Lorcan Wyer has retired. Dobbin said: "His jumping was awesome. I was very impressed with him." The 1999 Sun Alliance winner is now likely to go to the Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham, en route to the Champion Hurdle there next March, for a probable clash with Istabraq.

Norman Mason had his 200th win as an owner when Richard Guest partnered Mrs Mason's Red Ark to land a valuable handicap chase at Newbury. In the past, the late Gordon Richards, Mary Reveley and George Moore all trained for him, but since he took out a permit to train his family horses at Crook and was later joined by assistant-cum-rider Guest, Mason has enjoyed some 70 successes.

Mary Reveley had been written off lately by some other sections of the Press, but the past three weeks has seen the Lingdale trainer in her usual top form. At Haydock she took two, Peter Niven and Anthony Ross doing the honours, while amateur Brian Murphy partnered Konker to a Newcastle follow-up win to the recent Wetherby successes.

Niven, Ross and Alan Dempsey each had one leg of the trainer's Kelso treble on Monday. Niven is very close to his 1,000th career winner.

Micky Hammond had a horrid last winter, with his string off-colour, but this time around all has changed. At Carlisle, Saragann obliged and at Catterick the Middleham trainer had a double with Lochbuy Junior and Tysou.

Ferdy Murphy from nearby West Witton sent out another eyecatcher at Carlisle in Granit D'Estruval and, at Haydock, Streamstown beat his elders in fine style to fulfill the promise noted before. Both were partnered by Adrian Maguire.

On the all-weather, both David Barron and Patrick Haslam have plenty of ammunition and have more to come. Mark Johnston was out of luck with Fruits Of Love in the Japan Cup in Tokyo on Sunday, but sent out Spirit Of Love to win at Wolverhampton, providing 18-year-old Liam McVicar, with a first winner.

His more senior colleagues Dean Mernagh and Tony Culhane have impressed with AW trebles this week (not all for DST area trainers) and Culhane is hoping to gain 100 before the end of this month - he had 11 to go after his Wolverhampton three.

Weekend tips are, as in the past few weeks, tricky, with the forecasts for yet more of the wet stuff. But today at Musselburgh should be all right and we go for a Ferdy Murhpy double in Star To The North (1.05) and Flight For Freedom (1.35). Tim Easterby's Knighted, with Russ Garritty up, should land the 2.10.

Tomorrow, Sandown is inspecting to see if the hurdles races can go ahead, but may end in an all-chasing card, just as Carlisle did at the end of last week. Micky Hammond has Deep Water entered in the William Hill (3.05), with Lovelock down for the novice event at 1.20, both with Brian Harding booked. However, the duo also have entries at Wetherby and Direct Route, Howard Johnson's stable star, is in the Tingle Creek (2.30). If running, we would like to see him take this big race.

Wetherby choices are (again, if running): Skillwise (Tim Easterby, 12.50), Premier Drive (George Moore, 1.25), either Amarettoforanna or Narrow Water (both Ferdy Murphy, 1.55), Dhaudeloop (Richard Fahey) or Boogy Woogy (Tim Easterby) (2.30), Heidi III or Ryalux (both Micky Hammond, 3.05), Garruth (Tim Easterby, 3.35).

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. - Carlisle (an all Chs card, as hurdles track unfit): Saragann (trained by Micky Hammond, at Middleham; owned by Jay Dee Bloodstock Ltd), ridden by Brian Harding; Dook's Delight (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Mike Caulfield), Mr Paudge Whelan; Scotmail Boy (Howard Johnson, Crook; George Tobitt), Graham Lee; Granit D'Estruval (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Gott Foods Ltd), Adrian Maguire; Made Of Steel (Ian Emmerson, Holmside; permit holder), David O'Meara.

Warwick: (NHf) Europa (Tom Tate, Tadcaster; B T Stewart-Brown), Tom Siddall.

Friday. - Southwell AW: 6f, Blakeset (David Barron, Maunby; Nigel Shields), Dean Mernagh; 7f, Flambe (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Mrs B M Hawkins), George Baker; Oscar Pepper (David Barron; Ian Armitage), Dean Mernagh.

Saturday. - Newbury: (chs) Red Ark (Norman Mason, Crook; Mrs D B Mason), Richard Guest;.

Haydock: (hdl) Old Hush Wing (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Mark Barrett), Peter Niven; Corporation Pop (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Mr & Mrs J M Davenport), Graham Lee; (chs) Streamstown (Ferdy Murphy; Haydock Park National Hunt Partnership), Adrian Maguire; (hdl) October Mist (Mary Reveley; Mrs E A Murray), Anthony Ross.

Newcastle: (hdl) Konker (Mary Reveley; J & M Leisure/Unos Restaurant), Mr Brian Murphy; (hdl) Smudger Smith (Brian Rothwell, Musley Bank; S P Hudson), Adie Smith; (chs) Weaver George (Wilf Storey, Muggleswick; Regent Decorators Ltd), Alan Dempsey; (hdl) Barton (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Stanley W Clarke), Tony Dobbin.

Wolverhampton AW: 15f, Spirit Of Love (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Linx Pictures International Ltd), Liam McVicar.

Monday. - Kelso: (hdl) Bramble Fair (Mary Reveley; Mrs K Quinn), Anthony Ross; (chs) A Piece Of Cake (Mary Reveley; Lightbody Celebration Cakes), Peter Niven; (chs) Robbo (Mary Reveley; The Scarth Racing Partnership), Alan Dempsey.

Tuesday. - No DST area winners.

Wednesday. - Catterick: (hdl) Whatadeal (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Abbots Salford Caravan Park), Russ Garritty; (hdl) Lochbuy Junior (Micky Hammond; The G-Guck Group), Jim Crowley; (hdl) Turtle (Wilf Storey; Mrs Jean Jarvis), Graham Lee; (hdl) Tysou (Micky Hammond; Million in Mind Partnership), Brian Harding; (hdl) Denarius (Bill Haigh, Melsonby; David C Young), Richard Guest.