A PIRATE'S raid in Ireland by David Nicholls paid off as the Sessay trainer sent over the winner of the Phoenix Spring Stakes at Leopardstown.

Bahamian Pirate, giving jockey Johnny Murtagh his 50th win of the season, held off One Won One by the shortest of heads.

The next time H E Lhendup Dorji's colours may be seen out on the winner is likely to be in the Nunthorpe at York, against no less a giant than Mozart.

Chris Fairhurst had a first-ever winner at Newmarket on Friday night when Jamie Spencer partnered Mike and Diane Grace's consistent Prix Star, bred by them at Ellingstring out of John and Janet Brearley's good mare Celestine.

Mark Johnston, who is a strong supporter of efforts such as Ascot's Shergar Cup meeting, which this year took the format of GB and Ireland jockeys versus the Rest of the World, entered a horse in every race and finished the day as second trainer on his placed results.

Only Mana D'Argent came close for him. The day's top jockey, the American David Flores, partnered the Middleham runner in the mile and a half handicap and first-time visors nearly worked as the pair hit the front a furlong out, only to be beaten a short head on the line. Flores took two of the day's races.

Kevin Darley passed his century at Haydock last week partnering Tim Easterby's Santisima Trinidad, but this included four wins from the all-weather.

Saturday saw him captain the home side in the Shergar Cup which was defeated in the last race by the Rest of the World team.

Some compensation came for the champion at Ascot's Sunday meeting when he took a double.

One leg was on Riberac when they landed the Amtico European Breeders Fund Valiant Stakes, a Listed race.

Gary Middlebrook, who owns and bred the Johnston-trained mare, and who owns some 28 brood mares around the world, is looking for a Group race for her, as he wants to breed from her next year. He said a mile race at the Curragh might suit.

Darley also partnered Early Morning Mist to a good third place in the 10f handicap earlier - this should win soon.

The jockey brought up his turf ton at Hamilton on Wednesday night on the Oxfordshire-trained Maid For Running, having earlier partnered Bandari to win for Johnston at Beverley and old favourite Star Rage to second in the stayers' race - his 100th race ever.

Johnston was not at Ascot on Sunday, but at Redcar, where Joe Fanning took the opener on Eurolink Rooster.

Fellow Middleham trainer Ferdy Murphy was also there and those in the know latched on to Nouf, whose owners' firm R J Spence sponsors Murphy's West Witton operation.

The mare was sent for the summer to Kevin Ryan for flat racing and Murphy was among those welcoming her to the winner's circle after a thrilling finish.

Gyles Parkin landed the Redcar nursery for Tim Easterby on Secret Spoof, owned by brothers David and Steven Dudley. Easterby also won for Timeform's Jim McGrath and Reg Griffin on Time To Remember, ridden by Robert Winston and beating brother-in-law Fahey's General Hawk (Paul Hanagan), a winner last time out at Newcastle by a short head.

Joe Fanning partnered My America Beauty to win for Easterby at Beverley's Wednesday meeting.

Julie Camacho, who is not renewing her training licence at the end of the season, has hit form of late and took a second win in a week at Haydock on Thursday with Cateel Bay, partnered by Robert Winston.

She followed up with a Dean McKeown win on Favorisio at Beverley.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Key: All meetings are Flat on turf, except: NH = National Hunt (jumps) meetings; and AW = all-weather flat racing. * = evening meeting. f = furlong (8f = 1mile); chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdles race; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb = homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Haydock: (8f) Cateel Bay (trained by Julie Camacho, at Norton; bred by Mrs S Camacho, owned by Stuart Postill), ridden by Robert Winston; (7f) Santisima Trinidad (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Chris & Antonia Deuters), Kevin Darley.

Friday. - Newmarket*: (6f) Prix Star (Chris Fairhurst, Middleham; Hb, M J Grace), Jamie Spencer.

Haydock*: (10f) Petuntse (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Chicken Kiev Syndicate), Dean Mernagh

Saturday. - Haydock: (6f) Forest Prize (Tim Easterby; April Fools), Tyrone Williams.

Redcar: (6f) Akeesha (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Hb, trainer), Gyles Parkin; (10f) Pennys Pride (Mary Reveley; J Good), Dean Mernagh; (14f) Radanpour (Mary Reveley; the Mary Reveley Racing Club), Jimmy Fortune.

Sunday. - Leopardstown, Ireland: (6f Group 3) Bahamian Pirate (David Nicholls, Sessay; H E Lhendup Dorji), Johnny Murtagh.

Ascot: (8f Listed) Riberac (Mark Johnston; Hb, Mr & Mrs G Middlebrook), Kevin Darley.

Redcar: (9f) Eurolink Rooster (Mark Johnston; Eurolink Group), Joe Fanning; (6f) Secret Spoof (Tim Easterby; David & Steven Dudley), Gyles Parkin; (8f) Nouf (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Mrs N L Spence), Fergal Lynch; (7f) Time To Remember (Tim Easterby; Reg Griffin and Jim McGrath), Robert Winston; (16f) Best Port (John Parkes, Upper Helmsley; W A Sellers), Barry Norton.

Leicester: (7f) Dolfinesse (Mel Brittain, Warthill; Stevn J Box), D Allan; (12f) Second Affair (Jedd O'Keeffe, Middleham; M McAllister), Richard Hughes.

Monday. - Southwell NH: (hdl) Piccadilly (Kate Milligan, Middleham; S Ward), Richard Johnson.

Thirsk*: (8f) Mine (James Bethell, Middleham; M J Dawson), John Reid; (5f) Al's Me Trainer (Allan Dickman, Norton; Mike Smallman), Tony Beech.

Tuesday. - No D&S Times area winners at Brighton or Newton Abbot.

Wednesday. - Beverley: (7f) Bandari (Mark Johnston; A Al-Rostamani), Kevin Darley; (12f) Favorisio (Julie Camacho; Hb, Elite Racing Club), Dean McKeown.

Hamilton*: (9f) Ace Of Trumps (James Hetherton, Malton; C D Barber-Lomax), Carl Lowther; (8f) Crosby Donjohn (Juhn Weymes, Coverham; Don Raper), Robbie Fitzpatrick.