OWNER Martyn Burke and trainer Mick Easterby had to wait a long time at Newmarket before a stewards' inquiry allowed Esyoueffcee to keep the ten-furlong Listed race on Thursday of last week.

The filly, named after a certain Sheffield football team, hung to her right and, despite Jimmy Fortune's best efforts, caused a concertina effect on the runners beside her. Fortune picked up a two-day ban (Monday and Tuesday) for careless riding.

Of the runners affected, Mark Johnston's Riberac looked the most unlucky in fourth and the Middleham trainer may send her for a Group race abroad.

Never one to be afraid to travel, Johnston had Sunday winners in France and Ireland. Yavana's Pace took the Prix du Conseil de Paris, a Group 2 race, at Longchamp under Darryll Holland, while stable apprentice Keith Dalgleish did the honours at Naas on Celtic Mission, the trainer's first runner on the course and the jockey's first Irish ride.

Meanwhile, Mr Cosmi was third in the Group 1 Grand Criterium at San Siro, Italy.

In more down-to-earth surroundings, Johnston had a Catterick one-two on Saturday in an apprentice race, Dalgleish winning on Baileys Prize from George Baker on Cool Investment.

Kevin Darley partnered his Pontefract winner, Bandari, another of the stable's juvenile stars. Johnston looked forward to next year, with "two or three Guineas candidates, and two or three Derby candidates."

Let's hope the north can land both again. The last Guineas winner was Mick Easterby's Mrs McArdy, owned by Bill and Edith Kettlewell, while Dante, the war-time Derby winner trained by Peacock, was even longer ago.

Joe Fanning was aboard Johnston's all-weather winner Ashkalani Star and also won for Patrick Haslam at Pontefract on Positive Profile, a welcome winner for the Middleham handler after a gap of three months.

Mary Reveley continued her excellent run and, of her winners, Konker on the flat at Newcastle was eye-catching. A good hurdler last year, this may now tackle novice chases and should go well.

Of the other women trainers, Julie Camacho, who won with Brillano at Gosforth Park, still says she will give up next January. Lynda Ramsden has had a quiet time since returning to this country - to Sandhutton and to training - but sent out a Wolverhampton winner.

Sally Hall had a first success for this year, having had a particularly quiet time, when Polar Haze, which she also bred, won at Southwell.

Muriel Naughton confessed to a three-year gap without a winner, but broke the long drought when Trudie scored, again a Southwell success.

Malcolm Jefferson has had a week of highs and lows. His stable jockey, Graham Lee, took a superb four-timer at Kelso on Saturday, two of them for his boss - Moss Harvey and Mytimie.

Jefferson also won at Newcastle on Wednesday with Merryvale Man. But stable star Dato Star collapsed and died on the Malton gallops on Tuesday. This can be a tough game.

The Week's Winners

Key: All racing is on turf & on the flat, except AW = all-weather flat racing; NH = jumps (National Hunt); * = evening meeting; f = furlong (8f = 1 mile); chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdle; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper); Hb = homebred by owner (or one of the owners).

Thursday last week. - Newmarket: (10f) Esyoueffcee (trained by Mick Easterby, at Sheriff Hutton; owned by M P Burke), ridden by Jimmy Fortune; (5f) Smart Predator (John Quinn, Settrington; Hb, B Shaw), Darryll Holland.

Southwell AW: (5f) Polar Haze (Sally Hall, Coverham (also bred the winner); Mrs Joan Hodgson), Derek McGaffin.

Friday. - Redcar: (14f) Simple Ideals (Don Enrico Incisa, Coverham; trainer), Kim Tinkler; (6f) Flying Tackle (John Wainwright, Kennythorpe; Neil Harrison), Darren Williams

Saturday. - Catterick: (5f) Welsh Emperor (Tom Tate, Tadcaster; Mrs Sylvia Clegg), Dale Gibson; (12f) Baileys Prize (Mark Johnston, Middleham; G R Bailey Ltd (Baileys Horse Feeds)), Keith Dalgleish; (7f) Dakota Sioux (Richard Fahey, Butterwick; Mrs Una Towell), Seb Sanders.

Kelso NH: (hdl) Gralmano (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Coleorton Moor Racing), Graham Lee; (chs) Eponine (Eric Elliott; permit holder), Andrew Thornton; (chs) Weaver George (Wilf Storey, Muggleswick; Regent Decorators Ltd), Graham Lee; (hdl) Moss Harvey (Malcolm Jefferson, Norton; Hb, J R Salter), Graham Lee; (hdl) Mytimie (Malcolm Jefferson; Mr & Mrs Raymond Anderson Green), Graham Lee.

Wolverhampton AW*: (8f) Basinet (Lynda Ramsden, Sandhutton; P R C Morrison), Kieren Fallon.

Sunday. - Naas, Ireland: (11f) Celtic Mission (Mark Johnston; C H Racing Partnership), Keith Dalgleish.

Longchamp, France: (12f) Yavana's Pace (Mark Johnston; Hb, Mrs Joan Kearney), Darryll Holland.

Monday. - Pontefract: (10f) Positive Profile (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Chelgate Public Relations Ltd), Joe Fanning; (8f) Bandari (Mark Johnston; A Al-Rostamani), Kevin Darley; (18f) Robbo (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; The Scarth Racing Partnership), Kevin Darley.

Plumpton NH: (hdl) Bhutan (Mary Reveley; Hb, P D Savill), Alan Dempsey.

Southwell AW: (6f) Trudie (Muriel Naughton, Richmond; Mrs S E Cooper), Tony Hamilton; (6f) Cash (Mel Brittain, Warthill; Northgate Autumn), David Allan.

Tuesday. - Wolverhampton AW: (7f) Ashkalani Star (M Johnston; The Always Trying Partnership), J Fanning.

Wednesday. - Newcastle: (7f) Brillano (Julie Camacho, Norton; Brian Nordan), Paul Eddery; (10f) Merryvale Man (M Jefferson; Hb, Arthur Symons Key), R Winston; (10f) Konker (M Reveley; J & M Leisure/Unos Restaurant), Fergal Lynch; (6f) Downland (D Barron, Maunby; Mrs S Kelly and Mrs J Rainer-Thomas), D Holland; (8f) Gunner Morris (James Hetherton, Malton; Formulated Polymer Products Ltd), F Lynch; (5f) Taras Emperor (John Quinn; Tara Leisure), D Williams