SNOW and frost are splendid for Christmas scenes, but not welcome on Boxing Day when we were set for a northern feast.

The wintry weather meant lost meetings, including at Wetherby and Sedgefield. However, there was some consolation by a warm fireside in front of the box, as we were able to watch Adrian Maguire, whom we feel is one of our own, in his hour of glory at Kempton.

Ferdy Murphy's number one jockey was heading for Wetherby and when that was off, for Market Rasen. That also fell, and he kicked hard for the south, arriving just in time to partner Irish raider Florida Pearl in the Pertemps King George VI.

In a fluent display of jumping, Maguire and his Irish partner won the day for trainer Willie Mullins.

Spare a thought for Murphy's number two, JP McNamara, who had been booked by Mullins for the ride as more senior pilots were elsewhere, only to be jocked off when his fellow rider was able to get to Kempton.

"It was a great honour just to have my name beside Florida Pearl. I was gutted to lose out, though. I am human," he said.

McNamara had his riding chance earlier when partnering Man On The Hill in the Pertemps Learning Feltham Novices' Chase for his boss, Ferdy Murphy.

This useful West Witton novice duelled with the eventual winner, Maximise (Henrietta Knight, Tony McCoy), for much of the race and looked likely to take a hand in the finish, but for a blunder three out.

Murphy's connections were in the place money in fourth, but McNamara was fined £150 for failing to pass the stands on the way to the start.

Maguire was eye-catching also on Thursday last week, when riding for Patrick Haslam in a rare raid on Ludlow. He won in a fighting finish on Grain Storm by a short head in the selling hurdle and survived a stewards' inquiry. Connections had to go to 5,250gns to keep the Marju filly.

Up at Catterick, Russ Garritty had a double, winning for Tim Easterby on Little Docker and Sharpastrizam. Assistant Keith Stone saddled the pair, as Tim was on holiday in Finland, and said Little Docker would go on to be a chaser in future. Sharpastrizam was taking a fourth win from his last six races for owner Trevor Hemmings.

Andy Garrity - no relation, and note the different spelling - won for Mary Reveley, a second winner last week for the lad and his sixth in all.

He partnered Hunters Creek to victory in the maiden chase. George Reveley, the trainer's husband, said the boy had intended to leave, but son and assistant Keith Reveley persuaded him to stay on. "He's making the most of his opportunities," added George.

Peter Needham, who trains under permit at Marwood, sent out his first winner since September last year when Chief Chippie took the amateur riders' race.

This was another pilot from the Ferdy Murphy string, Alan O'Keeffe, who learned his trade in Irish pony racing and who is tipped for the top.

Russ Garritty, sporting Jean Connew's colours, also won for Tim Easterby on the sole runner from the Great Habton yard at Uttoxeter next day, Monarch's Pursuit beating his nearest pursuer by more than three lengths, with the rest nowhere.

Mick Easterby took the opener when Richard McGrath partnered Mary Curtis's Fiolino. This gave the young horseman his 20th win this season.

Also at Uttoxeter, Noel Wilson, the former northern top amateur, who opened his training account early this year, bought Northern Raider for just 1,600 gns at Doncaster Sales recently.

Running in Chris Johnson's colours, the three-year-old won by a distance under Calvin McCormack.

Saturday at Ascot saw one of our Twelve to Follow in action, as Dibea Times was entered by Malcolm Jefferson in the highly competitive Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle.

A faller two out, Graham Lee and his partner were not in contention. Brian Ellison also ran Batswing, a disappointing tenth after earlier good runs this term.

It was again to the all-weather that many turned for successes. Patrick Haslam's old campaigner China Castle won at Southwell on Friday, beating his fancied stablemate Positive Profile, which had been expected to follow up last week's victory.

For the winner, eight, this was the seventh win this year and 25th on the all-weather in all.

David Barron was on the mark with On The Trail, another in the ownership of Nigel Shields - see Racing Review for some other wins this year. Dean McKeown had the ride.

Katy O'Hara has finally found winning form and Sally Hall's charge, running in the colours of Colin Platts, followed up her recent victory by taking the five furlong sprint. The filly should be better next turf term as a three-year-old.

Les Eyre may run Amaranth tomorrow at Lingfield following Saturday's victory over a mile under a late drive by David Nolan.

The new Polytrack surface at the Surrey course now suits hold-up horses, as there is little kickback to contend with. In the old Equitrack days, front runners were to be backed.

Owner Mike Gleason said of Amaranth: "He is always a backend horse and we are coming back on Saturday to run him in a 0-95 handicap over seven furlongs."

Boxing Day at Wolverhampton gave 17-year-old Stewart Taylor a real present in his first ride in public.

The boy from Ayrshire, attached to Mark Johnston's Kingsley House yard, won for his guv'nor on Alberich.

Karl Burke has cracked winners since arriving at Spigot Lodge nearly a year ago and Foronlymo, owned by Maurice Charge, continued his successes under a driving Ian Mongan ride.

The Week's Winners

Key: All racing is now National Hunt (jumping) except for Flat racing on all-weather surfaces (AW); * = evening meeting; f = furlong (8f = 1 mile); chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdle; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper); nov = novice; juv = juvenile; hcp = handicap; mdn = maiden; sllr = selling race; amtr = amateur riders; cond = conditional (jumps apprentice) riders; Hb = homebred by owner (or one of the owners).

Racing Week's 12 to Follow (TtF): Altapeter (Peter Beaumont); Barton (Tim Easterby); Benbyas (Les Eyre); Dibea Times (Malcolm Jefferson); Fatelhalkair (Brian Ellison); Gralmano (Kevin Ryan); Hindiana (Ferdy Murphy); Major Sponsor (George Moore); Noshinannikin (Mick Easterby, replacing Banker Count now not in his yard); October Mist (Mary Reveley); Ryalux (Andy Crook); Tyneandthyneagain (Norman Mason).

Thursday last week. - Catterick: (amtr hcp hdl) Chief Chippie (trained by Peter Needham, at Marwood; owned by himself as permit holder), ridden by Mr Alan O'Keeffe; (nov hdl) Little Docker (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; C H Stevens), Russ Garritty; (mdn chs) Hunters Creek (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; Bewley's Hotels, Glasgow), Alan Garrity; (hcp hdl) No Gimmicks (Jimmy FitzGerald, Norton; trainer), Tom Siddall; Sharpastrizam (Peter Beaumont, Brandsby; Trevor Hemmings), Russ Garritty.

Ludlow: (juv nov sllr hdl) Grain Storm (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; T Palin/S Hatchard/P Dalton), Adrian Maguire (bought in for 5,250gns).

Friday. - Uttoxeter: (nov hcp chs) Fiolino (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Mrs M E Curtis), Richard McGrath; (juv nov sllr hdl) Northern Raider (Noel Wilson, Painsthorpe; Chris Johnson), Calvin McCormack (no bid); (hcp chs) Monarch's Pursuit (Tim Easterby; Mrs Jean P Connew), Russ Garritty.

Southwell AW: (6f) On The Trail (David Barron, Maunby; Nigel Shields), Dean McKeown; (12f) China Castle (Patrick Haslam; Middleham Park Racing I & Others), Lee Enstone; (5f) Katy O'Hara (Sally Hall, Coverham; Colin Platts), D Kinsella.

Saturday. - Lingfield AW: (8f) Amaranth (Les Eyre, Hambleton; M Gleason), David Nolan.

Boxing Day (Wednesday). - Wolverhampton AW: (6f) Foronlymo (Karl Burke, Coverham; Maurice Charge), Ian Mongan; (12f) Alberich (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Mark Johnston Racing Ltd), Stewart Taylor