THE IRISH dream rolled on as Mary Reveley's good mare Function Dream landed the Mitsubishi Shogun Game Spirit Chase at Newbury's all-chase card on Saturday.

Her supporters from the Scart Stud, breeders and owners of the winner, and their friends were delighted with the victory.

Again the mare was partnered by 23-year-old fellow Irish born Anthony Ross, who had also landed the Victor Chandler on Function Dream. Cheltenham now beckons and we all look forward to the Irish enthusiasm if she can win there, too.

The first at Haydock also fell to the Lingdale trainer, as Alan Dempsey partnered Marmaduke Jinks to land the novice hurdle opener in good style.

Later, young Ben Orde-Powlett was placed an admittedly lengthy third behind Jolly Green Giant and Somemandforoneman on his father Harry's Idalgo De Guye.

For the amateur from Wensley, who rides out for Ferdy Murphy and whose grandfather is Baron Bolton, this was no mean feat as his mount was not jumping fluently early doors. This could well go on to win. Alas, in the handicap hurdle later, the family's Gikongoro had to be pulled up.

It is now official: this winter is set to be the season with the most lost jumps meetings as Saturday's Catterick and Ayr meetings were among the casualties.

Today Sandown holds an all-chase meeting, amalgamating yesterday's lost chases with those scheduled for this afternoon, and among the notable entries are Flat Top, which could land the Royal Artillery Gold Cup under Milo Watson for Mick Easterby.

In the hope that the weather keeps fair and Newcastle tomorrow is on, the greatest interest is in the Tote Northern National (which used to be the Eider).

Mary Reveley's useful Seven Towers is entered and it would be good to see Peter Niven one closer to his 1,000th career win. Ferdy Murphy has put four in, any of which could land this: Streamstown, Ackzo, Paddy's Return and Narrow Water.

Micky Hammond's in-form stable has Campaign entered, Howard Johnson chooses between Chopwell Curtains and Mister Muddypaws - the latter stays forever.

Tim Easterby's entrant is Scotton Green, but we don't expect to see Richard Fahey's The Butterwick Kid running after coming third at Sedgefield this week.

If you had to pin us down, we would take whichever of Murphy's is ridden by Adrian Maguire, in a reverse forecast with Seven Towers.

Despite the lost meetings, there were other successes to savour. Tom Tate looks to have something special in Europa, owned by Newbury racecourse director Brian Stewart-Brown and an easy winner at Bangor last Friday. Keep this one in your notebook.

Amateur Ben Woodhouse had a first win under rules this time last year on Master Boston at Fakenham and the 13-year-old took the hunter chase despite what trainer Bob Woodhouse called his "arthritic joints."

Sedgefield was able to go ahead on Tuesday when Tim Easterby took a double with Stone Cold and old campaigner Cumbrian Challenge, both partnered by Russ Garritty.

Micky Hammond's Tysou is set for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival following another easy win this week at Musselburgh, where Murphy-Maguire shone again, What A Wonder scoring after a string of seconds. Mary Reveley, too, was on the scoresheet with a follow-up win by Whistling Dixie.

Noel Wilson, well remembered in these parts as a rider, especially when winning the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham in 1993 on Ushers Island, landed his first training victory under rules at the Scottish track. He sent up City Gent to win from his base on Lord Halifax's Garrowby estate near Malton, where he has a string of about 14.

The sand again provided much of the week's fare and Julie Craze sent out Tom Tun to a Wolverhampton win. Her stable star will probably next be seen on the turf at Doncaster's opening meeting.

Richard Fahey's well-named Victorious landed his hat-trick when winning at Wolverhampton under Jason Weaver. Dispol Foxtrot gave Middleham man Steve Kettlewell a first win for more than four months. There was a gamble on Pawn In Life, David Barron's sprint handicapper, which paid off as Dean Mernagh won well.

On Tuesday there, Silver Socks partnered by Dale Gibson followed up last week's AW win for Mick Easterby and should go close again.

At Cagnes-sur-Mer, James Bethell sent out Stretton to a seasonal debut and a close-up second on Wednesday, which augurs well for the Middleham trainer come the turf season here.

The Week's Winners

Key: All UK racing is now National Hunt (jumps), except for all-weather flat racing (AW). F = furlong (8f = 1mile). Chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdles race; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb = homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Wolverhampton AW: (5f) Tom Tun (trained by Julie Craze, at Elvington; bred by T Tunstall and owned by Mrs O Tunstall), ridden by Tyrone Williams.

Friday. - Bangor: (hdl) Europa (Tom Tate, Tadcaster; B T Stewart-Brown), Russ Garritty; (hunter chs) Master Boston (Bob Woodhouse,Welburn), Mr Ben Woodhouse.

Saturday. - Newbury (chs) Function Dream (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Scart Stud), Anthony Ross.

Haydock: (hdl) Marmaduke Jinks (Mary Reveley; Minster Commercials), Alan Dempsey.

Monday. - Southwell AW: (7f) Victorious (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Tommy Staunton), Jason Weaver; (8f) Dispol Foxtrot (Steve Kettlewell, Middleham; W B Imison), Jason Tate; (6f) Pawn In Life (David Barron, Maunby; Laurence O'Kane), Dean Mernagh.

Tuesday. - Sedgefield: (hdl) Stone Cold (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Six Diamonds Partnership), Russ Garritty; (chs) Cumbrian Challenge (Tim Easterby; Cumbrian Industrials Ltd), Russ Garritty.

Wolverhampton AW: (12f) Silver Socks (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; trainer), Dale Gibson.

Wednesday. - Musselburgh: (hdl) Tysou (Micky Hammond, Middleham; Million in Mind Partnership), Dominic Elsworth; (hdl) What A Wonder (Ferdy Muprhy, West Witton; the Ferdy Murphy Racing Club), Adrian Maguire; (chs) City Gent (Noel Wilson, Garrowby; bred by H Atkinson, Mrs Jean Atkinson), Calvin McCormack; (hdl) Whistling Dixie (Mary Reveley; Mrs P D Savill), John Kavanagh