WELL, we won the GNER Doncaster Cup last Thursday - but not as expected.

A dead heat split the spoils between John Dunlop's Arundel star, Millenary (Richard Quinn), and Kasthari, from deeply unfashionable Crook, where jumps trainer Howard Johnson is rapidly making a mark on the level.

Johnny Murtagh had the mount in the Elliot Brothers' colours and Johnson said that the jockey wanted to ride him in the Ascot Gold Cup, which they might go for next season. "In the meantime, he'll go novice chasing," added the County Durham man.

Darasim, Mark Johnston's staying star, opened affairs in his usual front-running role under Joe Fanning in a 2m 2f marathon, but faded a furlong out.

On the lightning fast going, David Barker's Celtic Mill was among those breaking the course record when landing the Listed sprint under Frankie Dettori, sporting owner-breeder Peter Asquith's silks. The Diadem Stakes at Ascot may be next for this 12-times winner.

Elliots World and Leo's Lucky Star tackled the Champagne Stakes for Johnston next day, but disappointed in sixth and stone last of the ten respectively.

Richard Fahey took the opener, the DBS St Leger Yearling Stakes, with Tagula Sunrise and John Wainwright's Beyond The Clouds was only a short head second in the 5f sprint later, frustratingly close to repeating his win in the same event two years back.

Saturday's Leger day did not see any joy for us at Doncaster, but Mark Johnston had a superb afternoon, even if he was away in the sales rings in America.

Over at Leopardstown, Attraction was just beaten again by her older rival, Soviet Song, but the rest of the field in the Group 1 Matron Stakes were at least five lengths adrift of the pair. Deirdre Johnston said that she might now go for the Sun Chariot, if the ground stayed right.

At Goodwood, there was a Kingsley House double with Hearthstead Wings and Gold History both winning under Joe Fanning, who went on to complete a riding treble on Who's Winning in the sprint for Hampshire trainer Brendan Powell.

Royston Ffrench rode in the first at Carlisle's well-supported regional racing (banded event) matinee meeting and won on the Johnston-trained Secret Pact. He then rushed up to Musselburgh to win on Just A Fluke for the yard, the fourth success that day.

Others who scored at Carlisle were the in-form Richard Fahey, Bryan Smart, David Barron and Ron Barr. Although these lowly handicaps and maidens may not feature the best horses in the world, there is clearly a need for them, as the fields were full.

The course was pleasantly surprised when about 1,600 attended, as they had expected a crowd of some 500 with an early start.

Musselburgh, on the other hand, was staging its first Ladies' Day with decent prize money and a good card. David Barron, another with a cross-country double, praised the course when Flipando landed the £25,000 opener under Micky Fenton. "I don't usually send a horse as good as this up here, but when the prize money is as good as this, you're always tempted," he added.

Travel was the watchword on Sunday for Alan Swinbank, who sent Collier Hill over to Taby, Sweden to contest the Group 3 Stockholm Cup International.

Dean McKeown made sure of the win in the last stride, denying fellow British raider Foreign Affairs (Sir Mark Prescott, Seb Sanders) by a short head.

Redcar next day had the thrill of both Frankie Dettori and Seb Sanders battling for the championship, each landing a double. The only local winner was Michael Dods with Defana, partnered by Lee Enstone. Musselburgh saw more winners for Yorkshire, with Kevin Ryan, Fahey and Tim Easterby all taking events.

At Thirsk on Tuesday, the Fanning-Johnston success story continued, Hadrian landing the maiden over seven furlongs. John Quinn with Taras Treasure, Robert Winston up, and David Barker with Fox Covert, another good Lee Enstone ride, did well.

Mick Easterby won, as so often at the course, with Ego Trip, a three-year-old bred and owned by long-time patrons Mr and Mrs Ken Hodgson. Jockey Dale Gibson had advised trying blinkers on him and the trick worked.

At Beverley next day, the five-year-old Emperor's Well, out of the team's good race mare Catherines Well and bred by the trainer and the Hodgsons, came back to form to win at 20-1.

Also on the mark again were Fanning-Johnston, with King's Account, Tim Easterby with Wing Collar and Dale Gibson, riding for Bill Tinning on Compton Plume.

Down at Sandown, Fahey took the opener with Bo McGinty. This was jockey Gyles Parkin's first visit to the Surrey course for about eight years, and what he thought was his first winner there.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday last week. - Doncaster: (in dead heat) Kasthari (trained by H Johnson, at Crook; owned by Elliot Brothers), ridden by J Murtagh; Celtic Mill (D Barker, Scorton; Hb (homebred by owner or one of connections) P Asquith), F Dettori.

Chepstow: Dune Raider (K Ryan, Hambleton; Tariq Al Nisi), F Norton.

Friday. - Doncaster: Tagula Sunrise (R Fahey, Musley Bank; D M Knaggs & M Roberts), P Hanagan.

Bangor-on-Dee NH: Time To Reflect (R Guest, Brancepeth; Concertina Racing Three), H Oliver.

Saturday. - Goodwood: Hearthstead Wings (M Johnston, Middleham; Hearthstead Homes Ltd), J Fanning; Gold History (M Johnston; Abdulla Buhaleeba), J Fanning.

Carlisle (regional racing meeting): Secret Pact (M Johnston; Jumeirah Racing), R Ffrench; Megabond (B Smart, Hambleton; The Bond Girls Partnership), D McGaffin; Dancing Tilly (R Fahey; the "We Believe in Miracles" Partnership), T Hamilton (claiming 3lbs allowance); Penwell Hill (D Barron, Maunby; Mrs Liz Jones), P Makin (5); Loughlorien (R Barr, Seamer; P Cartmell), D Tudhope (7).

Musselburth: Flipando (D Barron; Mrs J Hazell), M Fenton; Just A Fluke (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), R Ffrench.

Sunday. - Hexham NH: Spectrometer (R Guest; Concertina Racing), H Oliver; Now Then Sid (S Watts, Brompton on Swale; Mrs S A Watt), K Mercer (7); Freedom Now (M Hammond, Middleham; F Hanson), G Lee; Artic Echo (A Swinbank, Melsonby; Hb, R P Dineen), J Crowley.

Sweden (Taby): Collier Hill (Alan Swinbank; R H Hall & Ashley Young), Dean McKeown.

Monday. - Musselburgh: Blades Boy (Kevin Ryan; Hb, Crown Select), Neil Callan; Jeepstar (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Mrs E Jeeps & Partners), Micky Fenton; Mobane Flyer (Richard Fahey; P N Devlin).

Tuesday. - Thirsk: Taras Treasure (John Quinn, Settrington; Taras Leisure), Robert Winston; Hadrian (Mark Johnston; Highclere Thoroughbred Racing XXIII), Joe Fanning; Ego Trip (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Hb, K Hodgson & Mrs J Hodgson), Dale Gibson; Fox Covert (David Barker; trainer), Lee Enstone.

Wednesday. - Beverley: Emperor's Well (Mick Easterby; Hb, trainer & K Hodgson, Terry Lucas; Wing Collar (Tim Easterby; Mr & Mrs J D Cotton), Graham Gibbons; King's Account (Mark Johnston; Brian Yeardley Continental), Joe Fanning; Compton Plume (Bill Tinning, Thornton le Clay; trainer), Dale Gibson.

Sandown: Bo McGinty (Richard Fahey; Paddy McGinty & Bo Turnbull), Gyles Parkin.