MICK EASTERBY and apprentice Sam Hitchcott topped the Flat racing tables - for half an hour, at least, as they landed the opening turf race on the level at Doncaster. Middlethorpe, who won the boys' race, was not able to follow up at Catterick on Wednesday, being beaten by a head by Fatehalkhair, super-fit from hurdling.

Mick also looked likely to take the lady riders' race, too, with Silver Socks (Miss J Foster) but was beaten a head by amateur Lindsey Rutty on the Middleham runner Aberkeen, trained by Jedd O'Keeffe.

Mick, who 'whispered' to the masses of TV viewers on Saturday that he would be 71 on Easter Day, made a first visit to Newbury where his charge Flat Top continued the Sheriff Hutton trainer's good National Hunt run, too.

We suggested last week that Mark Johnston was one to back and Doncaster certainly proved the point. Keith Dalgleish won for the Kingsley House yard on the first day, partnering Systematic. Bigger yet was to come as Royston ffrench partnered Falcon Hill to land the Cammidge Trophy on Saturday, the three-year-old beating older rivals in fine style.

The winner may turn out again tomorrow, Saturday, at Kempton to contest the Blue Square Interactive TV Easter Stakes and could well land that, too.

The trainer was completing a double, as Double Honour justified favouritism earlier under veteran jockey George Duffield.

Teenager Stewart Taylor, on the other hand, won his second race in his second ride for his boss Johnston on Hearthstead Pride at Wolverhampton on Monday. Joe Fanning won for Johnston at Lingfield on Fortunate Dave, and also won several this week for other trainers, so looks set to better last year's good season.

Richard Fahey laid out Lady Bear for Friday's Doncaster Spring Mile and the plan worked to perfection for him and for owner Arthur Campbell. The same day, Middleham's Karl Burke scooped a 20-1 success with Miracle Island.

Lynda Ramsden got off the mark on Saturday when Lingo landed the seven furlong handicap. The Sandhutton trainer had a hard return to her old base last year but said she has 40 in this term, with 23 of them two-year-olds.

On the jumps front, Norman Mason took a Newcastle double and this week announced that Richard Guest, his assistant and jockey, is to take a full licence in due course so that they can train for others from the autumn of 2003. Last year's Grand National hero for the Mason yard, Red Marauder, will be on display at Middleham's open day today, Good Friday, at George Moore's Warwick Lodge stables. Full details from the Middleham Key Centre on 01969 624502.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Key: Now that Flat racing on turf has started again, National Hunt (jumping) meetings are indicated by NH; Flat racing on all-weather surfaces, by AW; * = 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; amtr = amateur riders; cond = conditional (jumps apprentice) riders; Hb = homebred by owner (or one of the owners).

Thursday last week. - Doncaster: (12f appr hcp) Middlethorpe (trained by Mick Easterby at Sheriff Hutton; Hb, owned by J H Quickfall & A G Black), ridden by Sam Hitchcott; (8f mdn) Systematic (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Keith Dalgleish; (10f ladies' hcp) Aberkeen (Jedd O'Keeffe, Middleham; Wetherby Racing Bureau 54), Miss Lindey Rutty.

Southwell AW: (7f hcp) Noble Locks (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Paul J Dixon), Joe Fanning.

Friday. - (8f hcp) Lady Bear (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; A & K Lingerie), Paul Hanagan; (18f hcp) Miracle Island (Karl Burke, Middleham; Champagne Racing), Franny Norton.

Kelso NH: (hcp hdl) Through The Rye (Edwin Tuer, Great Smeaton; Grant Tuer), Brian Harding; (nov chs) Shuildante (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Mrs K S Gaffney Mrs Alix Stevenson), Graham Lee; (hunter chs) Go Nomadic (owned, bred and trained by David Atkinson, Northallerton), Mr Peter Atkinson.

Newbury NH: (hcp chs) Carrick Troop (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Major J C K Young), Patrick Aspell.

Saturday. - Doncaster: (12f) Double Honour (Mark Johnston; thre 4th Middleham Partnership), George Duffield; (6f Listed) Falcon Hill (Mark Johnston; Tweenhills Partnership), Royston ffrench; (7f hcp) Lingo (Lynda Ramsden, Sandhutton; Swisspartners), Matthew Henry.

Newbury NH: (hcp chs) Flat Top (Mick Easterby; Major M Watson), Richard McGrath.

Bangor NH: (hcp chs) Bengal Boy (Peter Beaumont, Stearsby; Brandsby Racing), David O'Meara.

Uttoxeter NH: (nov hdl) Trading Trouble (Malcolm Jefferson; Richard Collins), Graham Lee.

Monday. - Wolverhampton AW: (8f appr clmr) Down To The Woods (Mark Jonston; Miller/Richards Partnership), Stewart Taylor; (12f mdn) Heathstead Pride (Mark Johnston; Hearthstead Homes Ltd), Kevin Darley.

Newcastle NH: (nov hdl) Lord Transcend (Howard Johnson, Crook; Transcend), Adie Smith; (hcp hdl) Able Native (Norman Mason, Brancepeth; permit holder), Ciaran Eddery; (hcp chs) Donnybrook (Rbob Woodhouse, Welburn; R Smith, D Hall, D Thompson, Mrs C Clarke), Richard McGrath; (NHf) Roman Ark (Malcolm Jefferson; trainer), Graham Lee; (hcp chs) Red Emperor (Norman Mason; permit holder), Richard Guest.

Tuesday. - Southwell AW: Mystic Venture (Kevin Ryan; T Fawcett and Mrs C Reilly), Fergal Lynch.

Wednesday. - Nottingham: (14f hcp) Junkanoo (Mary Reveley; Hb, Lucayan Stud), Darryll Holland.

Catterick: (5f) Loughlorien (Kevin Ryan; Pendle Inn Too Partnership), Fergal Lynch; (7f sllr) Tancred Arms (David Barker, Scorton; Miss A Clift), Tyrone Williams (no bid after); (14f hcp) Fatehalkhair (Brian Ellison, Norton; R Wagner), Paul Hanagan; (12f hcp) Timing (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Times of Wigan), Robert Winston.

Lingfield AW: (7f hcp) Golden Brief (Karl Burke; Hb, John Kelsey-Fry), D Sweeney; (5f hcp) Paddywack (David Chapman, Stillington; trainer), Kieren Fallon; (10f sllr) Fortunate Dave (Mark Johnston; T T Bloodstocks), Joe Fanning (sold after for 10,800gns).