THE ups and downs of being a racehorse trainer have rarely been better illustrated than the demise of Ed Dunlop's powerful Newmarket stable this season.

With over 150 blue-bloods to choose from, supplied mainly by the oil-rich Maktoum family, you would have thought it was just a question of Ed pressing a few buttons to get the tills ringing.

He could do little wrong in 2001, notching over 70 winners, but that's where the good news ends because 2002 has been nothing short of calamitous, with a paltry 13 winners to date, achieved at an appalling strike-rate of just six per cent.

You could say poor Ed is still just about clinging to the wreckage with the likes of Lucayan Dancer (2.15), capable of helping to begin to turn the tide in the opening Vodafone Nursery on the final afternoon of the Glorious Goodwood Festival.

Top-weights generally have a favourable time in this type of contest and Lucayan Dancer earned that position by virtue of an effortless victory at Brighton in late May. The colt also has a very appealing pedigree, plus the invaluable assistance of Kieren Fallon in the saddle.

Fallon might also be the man to follow when he gets the leg up on Sir Michael Stoute's Islington (3.20) in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes over a mile-and-a-two-furlongs.

Owned by Lord Weinstock until his untimely death 11 days ago, Islington is bidding to atone for a dismal performance in the Epsom Oaks where, despite being strongly fancied, she could only finish eighth on ground softer than ideal.

This column started the week by highlighting the fact that Mark Johnston has easily been the most successful trainer at the fixture over the past five years and he has not let the side down, adding a further four winners to an already impressive haul.

One of those winners was Scott's View (4.25) on Tuesday, whipped out again in typically aggressive Johnston style with a great chance of following-up in the Turf Club Rated Handicap.

So often the darling of the punters in the past, Frankie Dettori has opted for a much lower profile these days, having survived a light aircraft crash in which the pilot was tragically killed.

Dettori has not, however, lost his job as No 1 jockey to Sheikh Mohhamed, for whom he partners the David Loder-trained Hi Dubai (2.05) in the EBF Maiden Fillies Stakes at Newmarket.

The filly will probably not go off at a very enticing starting price, nevertheless the word from headquarters suggests she might be something special and if that is correct then Hi Dubai is the one to be on.

Later on in proceedings Dettori has decent prospects of completing a treble aboard Prairie Dunes (2.40) and Port Moresby (4.15).

Prairie Dunes proved his liking for track and trip when failing by a whisker to catch Bon Marche a fortnight ago, the former remark also applies to Port Moresby, successful over course and distance as recently as last Sunday.

Doncaster has not escaped the deluge over the past 48 hours and consequently the ground is set to be very testing on the Town Moor.

In view of the dreadful weather perhaps the most appropriately named runner on the card, Cyclonic Storm, looks a really topical tip in the one-mile Fillies Handicap at 4.30. Richard Fahey's three-year-old stands on the brink of a hat-trick having scored as far and wide as Carlisle and Salisbury on her last two outings. Cyclonic Storm is due to be ridden by Paul Hanagan, without a shadow of a doubt the most improved jockey over the past 12 months.

Finally to Thirsk, where equally the likely bog-like conditions will suit the confirmed mudlark Distinctive Dream (3.30) down to a tee in the Whitby Selling Stakes.

There is to be an inspection at Ripon at 8am on Sunday to determine prospects for Monday's meeting.

Clerk of the course James Hutchinson. said: "We have had five-and-a-half inches of rain since Tuesday and the ground is currently soft, heavy in places with some areas of waterlogging.

"We are desperate for a dry weekend to give us a chance for the meeting to go ahead."

* Jockey George Baker was taken to hospital after his horse fell on top of him in a terrifying incident in the parade ring at Goodwood yesterday.

His condition was described as ''stable'' and initial signs were that he was not seriously hurt.

The rider had just mounted Stagnite in readiness for the Bexley Nursery Handicap when the two-year-old reared up vertically and fell straight back on to him.

Stagnite's trainer Mark Usher said: ''He seemed to get badly winded. He seemed to swallow his tongue and he panicked a bit, and he may have been knocked out.

Get more racing online at www.racing-north.co.uk.