MIDDLEHAM'S big race hopes are riding high as Simeon has been supplemented for Sunday's Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

However, Kevin Darley has lost the ride on the Lammtarra colt as Frankie Dettori has been chosen by the owners, the Jumeirah Racing Syndicate.

Simeon was bred by Sheikh Mohammed and the syndicate of his friends who own the colt have a strong connection with Godolphin, who have no horse in the Group One French race. So Dettori, retained by Godolphin, gets the leg up.

But Darley has the ride next Saturday on Derby entrant Fight Your Corner and the jockey reported this week that the colt looked "a million dollars" and added: "I'm over the moon."

Richard Hills, Sheikh Hamdan's retained jockey, will partner his recent acquisition Bandari in the Epsom event. Mark Johnston's pair are third and fourth favourites in the ante-post betting.

The last time Middleham had any success in the Derby was 1981 when the Chris Thornton-trained Shotgun, homebred by owner Guy Reed, was fourth to Shergar. Interestingly for Fight Your Corner's chances, Shergar had earlier demolished his opponents in the Chester Vase.

Before then, the 1945 Derby, which was run at Newmarket because of the war, went to the great Dante, trained at Middleham by the late Matt Peacock and ridden by the late Billy Nevett, the only northern winner of the great race in modern times. And now we've every chance for the glory to come home again.

But back to the bread and butter of racing, Johnston had another useful youngster, Masterpoint, turn out for a Newmarket win, while The Bonus King looked good at Ripon.

Tim Easterby had wins with Young Mr Grace and Bollin Nellie. David Nicholls took more, with Sailing Shoes providing Joe Fanning with a third win that day, adding to two at Carlisle.

Young Paul Hanagan has continued to earn praise from all as he notched eight wins in eight days, including two trebles last week. He works for Richard Fahey and won for his boss on General Hawk at Catterick and Vintage Premium all the way down at Windsor's Sunday meeting.

Highly popular among his wins for other trainers was on Fatehalkhair at Newcastle for Brian Ellison, which was Hanagan's 1,000th ride.

On the jumps front, Gerrards sponsored at Wetherby last Thursday. Of their guests, Karen Pratt of Langdale, a racehorse owner with Michael Dods, won the right to pick the best turned out. She chose Joint Account, the Tate-Needham family entry, and Fiona Needham followed up by then landing the race.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Key: Meetings as shown are Flat on turf, except AW = Flat on all-weather, or NH= National Hunt (jumping); * = evening meeting; f = furlong (8f = 1 mile); chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdle; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper); mdn = maiden; nov = novice; juv = juvenile; clmr = claiming race (entries can be claimed by sealed bid tenders); sllr = selling race (winner auctioned after race, other runners can be claimed); hcp = handicap; cnds = conditions race; clfd = classified stakes, a limited hcp; ltd = limited hcp; lstd = a Listed race; Gp = Group race (1, 2 or 3 shown); amtr = amateur riders; appr = apprentice riders; cond = conditional (jumps apprentice) riders; Hb = homebred by owner (or one of the owners).

Thursday last week. - Newcastle: (5f nov) Young Mr Grace (trained by Tim Easterby, at Great Habton; owned by Norman Jackson), ridden by Paul Hanagan; (8f hcp) Lady Of The Inn (David Nicholls, Sessay; trainer), Adrian Nicholls; (16f hcp) Fatehalkhair (Brian Ellison, Norton; R Wagner), P Hanagan; (5f hcp) Effervesce (Mark Buckley, Upper Helmsley; C C Buckley), Robert Winston.

Wetherby NH: (clmr hdl) Mill Emerald (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Hb, Rodney Meredith), Mr Fergus King; (hcp chs) Joint Account (Robin Tate, Boltby; K Needham), Mrs Fiona Needham; (hcp hdl) Little Task (John Wainwright, Kennythorpe; Keith Jackson), David O'Meara.

Fri. - Wolverhampton AW: (7f fillies hcp) Bint Royal (B Ellison; Tuna Pack Produce Ltd), Gary Bardwell.

Pontefract*: (8f clmr) Mana-Mou Bay (D Nicholls; Fayzad Thoroughbred Ltd), Alex Greaves; (8f hcp) Raison Garde (Jimmy FitzGerald, Norton; Hb, Marquesa de Moratalla), Fergal Lynch; (12f hcp) East Cape (Don Enrico Incisa, Coverham; trainer), Kim Tinkler.

Sat. - Newmarket: (6f mdn) Masterpoint (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Michael Broke), Kevin Darley.

Catterick: (6f sllr) Clocking Off (David Barron, Maunby; S Nighton & A Kundi), Dean McKeown (no bid afterwards); (7f clfd) General Hawk (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; J E M Hawkins Ltd), P Hanagan; (14f hcp) Academy (Andrew Turnell, Malton; Mrs M R Taylor), Giles Sparkes.

Sun. - Windsor: (10f hcp) Vintage Premium (R Fahey; J C Parsons), P Hanagan.

Fakenham NH: (nov hcp hdl) Artemesia (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Beautifully Bred Partnership), Mr Alan O'Keeffe.

Southwell (turf) NH: (intermed hdl) Let's Fly (M Reveley; Sir Robert Ogden), Tony McCoy.

Mon. - Carlisle: (12f clmr, div 1) Exclusion Zone (M Johnston; Sir John Robb), Joe Fanning (winner claimed by Nigel Hardy for £10,000); (div 2) Achilles Sun (Karl Burke, Coverham; Achilles International), Darren Williams; (9f fillies hcp) Life Is Beautiful (Bill Tinning, Thornton-le-Clay, trainer), Jim McAuley.

Thirsk*: (5f hcp) Sailing Shoes (D Nicholls; Rupert Wace), J Fanning; (12f hcp) Bollin Nellie (T Easterby; Hb, Lady Westbrook), K Darley; (7f clfd) Arjay (A Turnell; Dr John Hollowood), P Hanagan.

Tue. - No DST area winners.

Wed. - Ripon*: (5f mdn) The Bonus King (M Johnston; Mrs Mo Done), K Darley; (8f clmr) Platinum Duke (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Platinum Racing Club Ltd), F Lynch