OUR trainers supported last Saturday's Shergar Cup event at Ascot well, none more so than Mark Johnston.

But it was neighbour Patrick Haslam who took the only winner on the day, Kieren Fallon scoring on impressive juvenile filly Kinnaird. Johnston's Think Tank was third under Swedish champion Fredrik Johansson.

Fallon completed a double on the day, winning the Stayers Handicap on Shabenak for Newmarket, but the Rest of the World hammered the home boys.

Mana D'Argent could not repeat last year's win in the Stayers for Johnston and was only third (GBI). Points went down to fifth place and those which counted from our area included Tim Easterby's Forever Times (third, RoW) and John Wainwright's Vita Spericulata (fourth, GBI) in the 6f Distaff. Johnston's Royal Beacon was second (RoW) and Easterby's Somnus fourth (GBI) in the Sprint.

Up at Haydock, Mick Easterby sent out Blue Spinnaker to win, Richard Quinn in the plate. This had been knocking on the door and was no surprise.

Northern jockeys Dean McKeown, Paul Hanagan and John Bramhill walked the notoriously tricky Brighton course with amateur rider Vicki Tunnicliffe on Thursday and their tutoring paid off as the 22-year-old event rider won for Richard Fahey in the ladies' race, getting Marshallspark up on the line by a short head.

Tuesday saw David Nicholls winning at the Sussex course, with Izmail. Son Adrian was to have ridden, but Simon Whitworth took the mount when young Nicholls' plane south was cancelled in poor weather.

Adrian fared better at Beverley, winning for his father Dandy on Captain Clipper. Nicholls has his usual handful in tomorrow's Great St Wilfrid at Ripon, with Fire Up The Band the early ante-post favourite.

Tony Culhane is in flying form and took a Haydock Friday night treble, but none for DST area trainers. Lynda Ramsden's winner, Albany, was partnered by Jamie Spencer.

While the world's most hyped horses, the Derby winners and such, have only a short racing career, most going off to stud after a one or two-year stint, Coverham trainer Sally Hall breeds stock which lasts and lasts.

Redcar saw Lord Lamb, a Dunbeath gelding out of her good old mare Caroline Lamb, coming back to winning ways at the age of 11. The Hall-bred fellow veteran Brecongill Lad, also 11 and a recent winner at Thirsk, was only beaten a short head by stable-mate Smirfy's Party in the sprint later.

Ron Barr's Stepastray finally lost its maiden tag in its 51st run at the seaside course. Sunday was due to be the course's family day, but freak thundershowers waterlogged the track and the day was cancelled.

John Wainwright had a good week with Annie Harvey winning well at Thirsk on Monday night. Alpine Hideaway won a hurdles seller at Sedgefield on Friday, but the auction afterwards was controversial. A "bidder" pushed the price up, but was found not to be genuine. The auctioneer held the event again and no bid was made - the crowd applauded.

Remarkably, the 10-year-old gelding went on to take the Beverley opener on Wednesday under claimer David Allan. The horse, owned by Peter Easterby (a cousin of the former trainer who shares the name), won the same event four years earlier.

Joe Fanning won for Mark Johnston on Caracara and went on to Hamilton to land two more for the Kingsley House trainer, but both his mounts were the less fancied of the Johnston runners in each race.

Marina Charm, a daughter of Marina Park, surprised the punters at 20-1, but not the trainer, whose Takes Tutu was fifth under Keith Dalgleish.

In the maiden stakes next, Fanning and Baileys Dancer (12-1) beat the well-fancied newcomer, Badr (Dalgleish), and even the trainer had not expected that. Dalgleish had some consolation on Johnston's fourth winner of the day, Spectrometer.

Johnston sends out Systematic tomorrow at Newbury and Scotts View may go at Newmarket. Zindabad, who missed Glorious Goodwood because he was being "vetted" for a possible sale that has not yet been agreed, should turn out at York's Ebor meeting next week in the Group 3 Lonsdale Stakes.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Thursday of last week. - Brighton: Marshallspark (trained by R Fahey, at Malton; owned by J J Staunton), ridden by Miss V Tunnicliffe.

Wolverhampton AW: Hoh's Back (P Johnson, Stanley; P & Mrs D M Johnson), L Jones.

Fri. - Sedgefield NH: Hilltime (J Quinn, Settrington; Mrs S Quinn), R Garritty; Virgin Soldier (A Swinbank, Melsonby; J D Abell), JP McNamara; Alpine Hideaway (J Wainwright, Kennythorpe; P Easterby), M Foley; Onefourseven (P Haslam, Middleham; J Roundtree), A Thornton.

Haydock ev: Albany (L Ramsden, Sandhutton; J Gompertz), J Spencer.

Sat. - Ascot: Kinnaird (P Haslam; S A B Dinsmore), K Fallon.

Haydock: Blue Spinnaker (M Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; G Sparkes G Hart, S Curtis & T Dewhirst), R Quinn.

Redcar: Stepastray (R Barr, Seamer; D Thompson), M Fenton; Lord Lamb (M Reveley, Lingdale; J Renton & K Reveley), P Aspell (claiming 5lbs); Smirfy's Party (D Nicholls, Sessay; Mrs D Plant), J Bramhill.

Mon. - Thirsk ev: Lord Of Methley (R Whitaker, Scarcroft; trainer), J-P Guillambert (5); Annie Harvey (B Smart, Hambleton; Annie Harvey Partnership), R Ffrench; Baron Rhodes (J Wainwright; I Barran & P Rhodes), T Eaves (5); Altitude Dancer (B Ellison, Norton; J D Cotterill), T Hamilton; Blonde Streak (D Barron, Maunby; Mrs L Jones), K Darley.

Tue. - Brighton: Izmail (D Nicholls; G M McGuinness), S Whitworth.

Wed. - Beverley: Alpine Hideaway (J Wainwright; P Easterby), D Allan (3); Caracara (M Johnson, Middleham; A Buhaleeba), J Fanning; Grey Clouds (T Easterby, Great Habton; Vintage Partners), W Supple; Captain Clipper (D Nicholls; Clipper Group Holdings), A Nicholls.

Hamilton ev: Poppys Footprint (K Ryan, Hambleton; Kimian Barfly), P Fessey; Marinas Charm (M Johnston; Hb, Greenland Park Ltd), J Fanning; Baileys Dancer (M Johnston; G R Bailey Ltd (Baileys Horse Feeds), J Fanning; Spectrometer (M Johnston; Concertina Racing), K Dalgleish