KIPLING'S twins - triumph and disaster - are never far apart in racing, and Saturday for Mark Johnston saw the two out in force at Newmarket. Contact Dancer won the Cesarewitch and Shamardal landed the Dewhurst, but in between, Mister Monet was fatally injured and Lucky Story trailed home last, both well regarded in the Champion Stakes.

The Middleham trainer said: "It's the best of times and the worst of times" during the rollercoaster day. Royston Ffrench and his boss have each won a previous separate Cesarewitch - the trainer with Spirit Of Love six years back - but this one was special. The jockey and the horse have both been rejuvenated by a move north, in the rider's case a return.

Ffrench came back and moved to Richmond from Newmarket nearly a year ago and Contact Dancer came to Middleham from John Dunlop's Arundel stables earlier this year, a two-times winner for the southern handler, but not for two years. Owner Michael Watt was not at Newmarket on Saturday, but may see his five-year-old run abroad before the end of the season, the trainer suggested.

Both Mister Monet and Lucky Story had earned their runs in the Champion Stakes, as the former was looking for his fifth win in a row including a Group 2 under Joe Fanning in Deauville on August 21, while Lucky Story, one of the best in the yard, had been sidelined through problems until recently and a superb second in the QEII gave him strong chances.

Mister Monet (Kevin Darley) suffered a multiple fracture of a hind leg in running and was later put down, a great sadness to his owners, Syndicate 2002, while Lucky Story (Darryll Holland) just did not go on the heavy ground. For the record, Guineas winner Haafhd won the Champion and later this week, it was announced he would retire to stud.

Darley was back in action at once on Shamardal in the Dewhurst and the pair never looked likely to be beaten. Johnston, although still shaken by the events in the Champion, said that the horse reminded him of Guineas heroine Attraction - game and battling. His rider said, 'He just surged on,' and Shamardal was immediately made favourite for next year's Guineas.

Previously running in the Buhaleeba colours, Shamardal went straight from a maiden win at Ayr in July to land the Group 2 Veuve Cliquot Vintage Stakes in Goodwood the same month. Johnston said then: "I think he's an extremely good horse" and how right he was. Last week, the Godolphin team took back all the Buhaleeba horses, which had apparently been leased, and Shamardal now runs in the name of Gainsborough Stud.

Racing Post handicapper Simon Turner called the colt's run the best win he'd seen since 1997 and has given Shamardal the highest rating he's given a two-year-old in his time, at a mark of 125.

He expects the Dewhurst to be the best race of the age group this year, but tomorrow the Racing Post Trophy is also to be considered. For the Johnston-Darley team, Elliots World holds every chance, albeit there are some hotpot O'Brien entries in Albert Hall and Hills Of Aran, not to mention Saeed Bin Suroor's Monsoon Rain with Dettori up.

Friday saw Fanning back in action after his broken collar bone and Always Waining won the Newmarket claimer over a mile and a half, but Johnston's charge was claimed by a Mr P Clinton afterwards for £30,000. David Chapman's stable stalwart Quito was a valuable third (some £5,500) in the Group 3 Bentinck Stakes over six furlongs earlier under Tony Culhane.

Royston Ffrench warmed up for Saturday with a Friday Redcar winner for Johnston, Exit Smiling landing spoils. Paul Hanagan each took a double, one for our area on John Wainwright's Time To Regret while Tim Easterby and David Allan continued their good year when winning with Most Definitely at the gelding's ninth attempt. Gyles Parkin rode at Brighton for Richard Fahey, a long way to go but worth the trip as Harrison's Flyer finally came good in his 11th run. Remarkably, the team followed up on Monday on the Wolverhampton Polytrack.

On the Thursday at headquarters, Kevin Ryan's Gifted Gamble was a close-up third in the six furlongs event, while Lynda Ramsden's Halla San filled a similar position in the mile nursery - one to watch next year, when he strengthens.

Fanning landed a remarkable three for his boss at Musselburgh on Sunday, partnering Kindling, bred at Floors by Attraction's owner, the Duke of Roxburghe, and running in the Duchess's colours, Go Padero and Swift Sailor, who runs in the Maktoum colours and was bred at the Gainsborough Stud. Robert Winston, winner on Bigalos Bandit, beat his best previous tally of wins with 94 and hopes to land the ton before the end of play.

However, of Johnston's runners at San Siro in Italy, Hearthstead Wings (Darley) could only manage third in the Gran Criterium, a Group 1 race. Bandari disappointed in the Group 1 Gran Premio del Jockey Club, weakening to be last of the nine (Willie Supple).

George Moore chose well for his win at Pontefract, no less a rider than the now new champion Frankie Dettori. Paul Hanagan and Richard Fahey won yet another, this time with Wrenlane. The duo won again with Blythe Spirit at Wolverhampton next day, where Patrick Haslam and John Parkes also rekindled their sparks.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thurs last week. - No DST area winners Newmarket, Taunton, Worcester.

Fri. - Newmarket: Always Waining (trained by Mark Johnston, at Middleham; owned by The Always Trying Partnership), ridden by Joe Fanning.

Brighton: Harrison's Flyer (Richard Fahey, Musley Bank; D Smith Holdings Ltd), Gyles Parkin.

Redcar: Exit Smiling (Mark Johnston; Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds VI), Royston Ffrench; Most Definitely (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; B Batey), David Allan; Time To Regret (John Wainwright, Kennythorpe; Denison Arms), Paul Hanagan.

Sat. - Newmarket: Contact Dancer (Mark Johnston; Michael H Watt), Royston Ffrench; Sharmardal (Mark Johnston; Gainsborough Stud), Kevin Darley.

Catterick: Yenaled (Noel Wilson, Malton; Watson Wilson McKinnon), Donna Caldwall (claiming 7lbs allowance); Ego Trip (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Hb (homebred by owner or connections) K Hodgson & Mrs J Hodgson), Dale Gibson; Northern Games (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Hb, R E Robinson), Tony Mullen (7).

Kelso NH: Wildfield Rufo (Kate Walton, Middleham; Mrs Carol Holdoyd), Richard McGrath.

Sun. - Musselburgh: Kindling (Mark Johnston; Hb, the Duchess of Roxburghe), Joe Fanning; Bigalos Bandit (John Quinn, Settrington; Ian Buckley), Robert Winston; Go Padero (Mark Johnston; Pagodero Partnership), Joe Fanning; Swift Sailor (Mark Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Joe Fanning; Molotov (Ian McInnes, Catwick; Cloak and Dagger Racing Club), Natalia Gemelova (5).

Market Rasen NH: Moss Harvey (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; J R Salter), Fergal King (3); Golden Measure (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; R H Hall), Jim Crowley.

Mon.- Pontefract: Toldo (George Moore, Middleham; J W Armstrong), Frankie Dettori; Wrenlane (Richard Fahey; Keith Taylor), Paul Hanagan.

Wolverhampton AW: Harrison's Flyer (Richard Fahey, Musley Bank; D Smith Holdings Ltd), Gyles Parkin.

Tues. - Wolverhampton AW: Two Of Clubs (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Blue Lion Racing II), Gavin Faulkner; Blythe Spirit (Richard Fahey; The Matthewmen Partnership), Paul Hanagan; King Nicholas (John Parkes, Upper Helmsley; M Wormald), M Lawson (5).

Wed. - No DST area winners Nottingham, Chepstow.