EIGHT-STRONG in the Ayr Gold Cup, David 'Dandy' Nicholls duly landed the valuable sprint race, but few foretold the victor - 33-1 shot Bahamian Pirate.

Yorkshire runners filled the first four places in the race, with Richard Whitaker's Lago Di Varano runner-up, Tim Easterby's Guinea Hunter third and Mark Johnston's Gaelic Storm fourth, all rewarding each-way support.

Bahamian Pirate was partnered by the trainer's son, Adrian Nicholls, which gave Nicholls senior great pleasure. He said: "I never had any luck in this race as a jockey and it's hard to describe what it feels like to see your son aboard the winner on a day like this."

The lad, known to his friends as 'Trotter', also lost his claim with the win and now must ride at full weight against the older jockeys.

Royal Result, Tayseer (winner of the Bunbury and Stewards' Cups this season), Zuhair, Further Outlook and Al Muallim were not far behind the first four, giving the Sessay sprint specialist six out of the first ten to finish. Cryhavoc was 15th and Pepperdine, visored for the first time, was greatly disappointing, finishing last of the 28.

Apprentice Tony Hamilton became marooned in Yorkshire because of the fuel crisis on Thursday last week, giving substitute Clare Roche a Yarmouth win on Dandy's runner American Cousin.

Richard Whitaker landed the listed Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr on the Thursday with Vicious Dancer, homebred by the trainer before being sold on to Clare Samuel. A good York winner, Vicious Dancer had missed the Flying Childers the week before because of a saddle sore and Whitaker was worried that the gelding might have done too little work.

Kevin Darley, still on course for the jockeys' championship, landed a treble at Ayr on Friday, including a win on Carousing for Mark Johnston.

Beverley had to curtail the Tuesday meeting when the continuous rain waterlogged the course. But not before George Duffield partnered Field Of Vision to win for his trainer wife Ann, Mel Brittain sent out a first winner for nearly three months and David Barron provided owner Jennifer Hazell with her 12th course win as Entity romped home by six lengths.

Chris Fairhurst has equalled his best seasonal score with 14 thanks to Ringside Jack at Chester on Wednesday. The gelding was bred by Mr and Mrs Mike Grace at Ellingstring, out of their neighbours John and Janet Brearley's good mare, Celestine.

Ferdy Murphy has taken three 'Nationals' in the year thanks to comeback horse Mac's Supreme, who landed the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel, Ireland, on Wednesday under the West Witton trainer's namesake Timmy Murphy.

The winner, who injured a tendon so badly three years ago he was a candidate to be put down, was nursed back to health by owners Brendan and Matt McEntaggart and has now won four chases. More will come.

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 *. Hb = Homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Vicious Dancer (trained by Richard Whitaker, at Scarcroft; owned by Mrs C Samuel), ridden by Dean McKeown.

Yarmouth: American Cousin (David Nicholls, Sessay; Middleham Park Racing XIV), Clare Roche.

Friday. - Ayr: Carousing (Mark Johnston, Middleham; P D Savill), Kevin Darley; Give An Inch (Wilf Storey, Muggleswick; Black Type Racing), Tyrone Williams.

Saturday. - Ayr: Harrier (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; The Rumpole Partnership), Michael Roberts; Bahamian Pirate (David Nicholls; H E Lhendup Dori), Adrian Nicholls.

Newbury: Bouncing Bowdler (Mark Johnston; (Paul Dean), Richard Hills.

Catterick: Indy Carr (Michael Dods, Piercebridge; N A Riddell), Iona Wands; Nowell House (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Bernard Bargh & John Walsh), Gyles Parkin; Angel Hill (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Keith Taylor), Fergal Lynch; Aporto (David Barker, Scorton; trainer), John McAuley.

Wolverhampton AW*:Finn McCool (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; trainer), Seb Sanders.

Monday. - Leicester: Cautious Joe (Richard Fahey; Tommy Staunton), Paul Hanagan.

Tuesday. - Beverley: Field Of Vision (Ann Duffield, Constable Burton; Mrs L J Tounsend), George Duffield; Melodian (Mel Brittain, Warthill; Hb, trainer), Dean Mernagh; Entity (David Barron, Maunby; Mrs J Hazell), Daragh O'Donohue.

Wednesday. - Chester: Ringside Jack (Chris Fairhurst, Middleham; Hb, M J G Partnership), Joe Fanning.

Listowel (Ireland) NH: Mac's Supreme (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; B McEntaggart), Timmy Murphy