BOMB scares at Ascot and what seems to have been a month's worth of rain in a week has given our stars fewer chances to shine, while the worsening ground has thrown up unexpected results.

York managed to complete its meeting and Thursday saw a splendid run by Lady Bear, trained for Arthur Campbell by Richard Fahey and partnered by good apprentice Paul Hanagan. The filly has won twice this term and ended a long losing spell for the owner.

David Nicholls' young apprentice Tony Hamilton gave James Hetherton his first winner on the Knavesmire when Evening Scent, owned and bred by the trainer's father Noel, won over 12 furlongs.

James Bethell sent out a second winner from his new Tupgill base as Starbeck took the Friday 6f maiden under David Harrison.

Meanwhile, Patrick Haslam has moved to Manor House Stables, across the road from his former premises, taking over the Middleham yard made famous by the Peacock family and the great northern Derby winner Dante.

Brian Rothwell had a second winner on the course this season as Fenwicks Pride took the nursery, although Dean Mernagh earned a day's suspension for excessive use of the whip.

By Saturday, the 'mire' in Knavesmire became the operative word and Steve Kettlewell brought a surprise Middleham winner in Tupgill Tango, who came home at 25-1 under Robert Winston.

Winston followed up with a 14-1 sprint win for David Nicholls in the Coral Eurobet Sprint Trophy on Further Outlook.

More Middleham success came for Sally Hall, with Sir Lamb in the Carlisle bumper on Friday. Her neighbour, Chris Thornton, is likely to have boxes at Kate Walton's Sharp Hill Farm, near Middleham moor. Thornton's stable star Flossy was due to run yesterday at Newmarket and may bypass the November Handicap if winning.

Tips for this weekend are tricky in view of the on-going soggy weather, but try Littlepacepaddocks (Mark Johnston), Love Thing (Richard Fahey) and Bahamian Pirate (David Nicholls) today, while Down To The Woods should win for Mark Johnston tomorrow (all at Newmarket).

ALL THE WINNERS

National Hunt (jumps) meetings are indicated by NH, all-weather flat, by AW. Other meetings are all flat meetings, turf. Evening meetings marked by an asterix *. Chs = steeplechase; Hdl = hurdles race; NHf = NH flat race/bumper. Hb = Homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - York: Lady Bear (trained by Richard Fahey, at Butterwick; owned by K & K Lingerie), ridden by Paul Hanagan; Evening Scent (J Hetherton, Malton; Hb, N Hetherton), T Hamilton

Friday. - York: Starbeck (J Bethell, Middleham; Www.Clarendon Racing.Com), D Harrison; Fenwicks Pride (B Rothwell, Musley Bank; J H Tattersall), D Mernagh.

Windsor: Square Dancer (M Dods, Piercebridge; A Mallen), T Clark.

Carlisle NH: (hdl) Le Sauvage (D Barker, Scorton; The Ebor Partnership), R Guest; (chs) Mulkev Prince (H Johnson, Crook; W M G Black), W Renwick; (NHf) Sir Lamb (S Hall, Coverham; Hb, trainer), J P McNamara.

Saturday. - York: Tupgill Tango (S Kettlewell, Middleham; The Tupgill Partnership), R Winston; Further Outlook (D Nicholls, Sessay; Mark A Leatham), R Winston.

Hexham NH: (chs) Ivory Coaster (M Hammond, Middleham; Jay Dee Bloodstock Ltd), W Renwick; (chs) Flat Top (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Maj M Watson), R Garritty; (hdl) Fireside Girl (D Forster, Heighington; D M Forster), R Guest; (hdl) Mr Christie (L Siddall, Colton; David Mann), T Siddall.

Southwell NH: (chs) Forest Dante (F Kirby, Danby Wiske; Fred Kirby), K Johnson.

Monday. - Ayr: Love Kiss (W Storey, Muggleswick; K Knox), T Williams.

Leicester: Cautious Joe (R Fahey; Tommy Staunton), P Hanagan.

Tuesday. - Ayr: Dancing Bay (J Camacho, Norton; Hb, Elite Racing Club), T Culhane; Tamaka Bay (M Johnston, Middleham; The Chaps Partnership), J Fanning.

Wednesday. - No DST area winners.