MARK JOHNSTON made history on Monday when he became the fastest trainer to gain 1,000 Flat wins on British soil, beating Newmarket's Henry Cecil by 90 days. The achievement came later than expected, following six blank days, a rarity for the Kingsley House yard, as Double Honour under Darryll Holland took the Hamilton opener.

Johnston, whose first win was with Hinari Video on July 1, 1987, from his Lincolnshire base, moved to Middleham the following year and has built up a yard with the keynote being consistency.

Mister Baileys 1994 2,000 Guineas win was a landmark, the first time for 17 years that a Classic was landed by a northern trainer. His 1000th British winner was Kind Regards last week at Newcastle, while Monday's victory was the 1000th Flat success, swiftly followed by another when Keith Dalgleish partnered Branston Pickle. This season has also seen Johnston's fastest century in his seventh year of reaching or exceeding the ton.

Exclusion Zone on Lingfield's all-weather and the ultra-consistent Riberac at Epsom rounded off the week's excitements. Riberac, bred and owned by Mr and Mrs Gary Middlebrook, has won four times in a month and remained in the south to contest a Goodwood race today, with every chance of bringing off her fifth victory.

Johnston's last Group 1 success was in 1997 and he hopes for another tomorrow at Doncaster in the St Leger, with Littlepacepaddocks.

Great Habton trainer Tim Easterby savoured his first Group 1 success on Saturday as the tough filly Pipalong landed th Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup under a battling ride by Kevin Darley. Narrowly beaten in the July Cup (by Agnes World and Lincoln Dancer) and a battling third nine days earlier to Nuclear Debate in the Nunthorpe, this victory was due.

The filly was cheered on by Lindsay Charnock, her former partner of five wins, who last week announced his enforced retirement from the saddle after several groin operations. Tim Easterby was saddling his Thirsk runners and left it to father Peter to supervise Pipalong, together with his wife Marjorie and owner Tom Bennett.

Easterby senior trained 1,000 winners under both codes, Flat and National Hunt, but among his near legendary successes, a Group 1 on the level eluded him. Four years after taking over the yard, Tim Easterby has in achieving this shown he is not overshadowed in any way by his father.

Incidentally, they also said goodbye to one of their long-time stalwarts, jumps pilot Lorcan Wyer, who announced his retirement to take up a job in Irish racing.

The family success story also runs with Peter and Marjorie Easterby's son-in-law Richard Fahey, who also won at Haydock with Prince Babar. He, like Johnston, also sent out an Epsom winner, Altay following up a recent Ripon success. It seemed ironic that the two Yorkshire wins were in Surrey, while Doncaster's first day drew a locals' blank.

David Nicholls travelled far and wide again for winners, American Cousin going in at Salisbury and Arpeggio winning at Lingfield. He has Uhoomagoo entered at Doncaster tomorrow, with son Adrian aboard, with every change. Johnston has a raft of runners and we expect Kind Regards to do well if at Goodwood.

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. - Salisbury: American Cousin (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by Middleham Park Racing XIV), ridden by T Hamilton.

Friday. - Sedgefield NH: Milan King (Alan Lockwood, Brawby; Chester Bosomworth), Jim Crowley.

Saturday. - Haydock: Pipalong (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; T H Bennett), Kevin Darley; Prince Babar (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Hb, Giles Pritchard-Gordon), Paul Hanigan.

Thirsk: Gone Too Far (Michael Dods, Piercebridge; Exors of the late Mrs H M Carr), Joe Fanning; Upper Chamber (Jimmy FitzGerald, Norton; trainer), Daniel O'Donohue.

Sunday. - Hamilton: Carrie Pooter (David Barron, Maunby; Stephen Woodall), Dean Mernagh; Entity (David Barron; Mrs J Hazell), Dean Mernagh.

Monday. - Hamilton: Double Honour (Mark Johnston, Middleham; the 4th Middleham Partnership), Darryll Holland; Branston Pickle (Mark Johnston; J David Abell), Keith Dalgleish.

Tuesday. - Lingfield: Arpeggio (turf) (David Nicholls; H E Lhendup Dorji), Jason Weaver; Exclusion Zone (AW) (Mark Johnston; Sir John Robb). Darryll Holland.

Wednesday. - Epsom: Altay (Richard Fahey; Hb, John T Robson), Royston ffrench; Riberac (Mark Johnston; Hb, Mr & Mrs G Middlebrook), Joe Fanning