IT'S May and it's York again as racing gets back into top gear after the disappointing weather of the winter and early spring and the disruption created by foot-and-mouth.

Mark Johnston and Kevin Darley headed the locals' list with a double on Tuesday at the Knavesmire.

First was Saratov, who had promised much early last year but finished the season disappointingly. Johnston said that Darley thought the winner "had grown up a lot."

Another to mature well since last year was their second success, And Beyond. As two-year-olds, both this and galloping companion Golden Wells were "very immature", said the handler, but now both are bound for Royal Ascot.

Wednesday saw most races go to the Newmarket men, but John Quinn took the opener with Smart Predator, well ridden by Robert Winston to take the sprint.

The Malton trainer said his winner will now be aimed at big-money handicap races at Musselburgh (£30,000), Windsor (£50,000) and Epsom (£100,000).

David Nicholls' Sessay yard is in top form and wins at Chester and Lingfield with Mister Rambo and Bodfari Pride, both partnered by son Adrian, were added to by Clare Roche at Ripon and Hamilton on Pennys From Heaven and Sihafi respectively.

Tim Easterby - with a Ripon double - Richard Fahey, Les Eyre and Kevin Ryan continued their winning ways. Darley partnered a Mary Reveley flat winner at Ayr, aboard Linea-G, while David Chapman's own Young Bigwig and Mel Brittain's own Cassandra, both winners at Ripon, look likely to succeed again.

Joe Fanning had a Musselburgh double, one for Mark Johnston and a later welcome one for Chris Thornton, his first since leaving Spigot Lodge for Ashgill, which he shares with John Weymes.

New Spigot inhabitant Karl Burke has had a quiet time lately, but returned to winning all the way south at Windsor's evening meeting.

Not everything in the racing garden is rosy. Redcar's Monday meeting was called off five minutes after the first should have started because of unsuitable ground.

The Jockey Club is to investigate and many trainers and owners have said they will demand compensation. Tim Easterby said the ground was like concrete and jockey Tyrone Williams said it was full of holes.

Those who bought members enclosure badges can re-use them at any other Redcar meeting and Tatts racegoers were issued with adandonment tickets. Both can get refunds if preferred.

Summer jumping continues and Hexham's welcome return saw a host of northern runners and winners.

At Perth, Ferdy Murphy took wins on both days, J P McNamara partnering both. And new boy Andy Crook took two in the week to add to his first win last week, providing Peter Niven with a 1,001st winner.

THE WEEK'S WINNERS

Key: All meetings are Flat on turf, except: NH = National Hunt (jumps) meetings; and AW = all-weather flat racing. * = evening meeting. f = furlong (8f = 1mile); chs = steeplechase; hdl = hurdles race; NHf = National Hunt flat race (bumper). Hb = homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Chester: (7 1/2 f) Mister Rambo (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by Middleham Park Racing XXV), ridden by Adrian Nicholls.

Ripon: (5f) Good Girl (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; Peter C Bourke), Jamie Spencer; (12 1/2 f) Pennys From Heaven (David Nicholls; Paul and Glenys Kent), Clare Roche; (10f) Cassandra (Mel Brittain, Warthill; trainer), Tyrone Williams; (8f) Regent Court (Tim Easterby; M P Burke), Ted Durcan; (6f) Young Bigwig (David Chapman, Stillington; trainer), Dean Mernagh.

Southwell NH: (chs) Sharpastrizam (Peter Beaumont, Stearsby; Trevor Hemmings), Russ Garritty.

Friday. - Lingfield: (5f) Bodfari Pride (David Nicholls; Bodfari Stud Ltd), Adrian Nicholls.

Nottingham: (10f) Rhodamine (Les Eyre, Hambleton; M Gleason), David Nolan.

Ayr: (13f) Linea-G (Mary Reveley, Lingdale; W Ginzel), Kevin Darley.

Hamilton*: (5f) Jackerin (Julie Craze, Elvington; Holgate Racing Club), Vince Halliday.

Saturday. - Lingfield: (6f) Vicious Dancer (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; Mrs C Samuel), Frankie Dettori.

Beverley: (10f lady amateurs): Bacchus (K Ryan, Hambleton; Uncle Jacks Pub), Miss P Robson; (16f) Turned Out Well (P Haslam, Middleham; Middleham Park Racing XVIII), J Badger; (5f) Beyond The Clouds (J Wainwright, Kennythorpe; First Class Entertainment), R Winston.

Hamilton: (9f) Desert Deer (M Johnston, Middleham; Jaber Abdullah), J Fanning; (5f) Sihafi (D Nicholls; John Gilbertson), C Roche; (6f); Surprised (R Fahey, Butterwick; D R Brotherton), Paul Hanagan; Give Me A Ring (C Thornton, Middleham; Guy Reed), J Fanning.

Thirsk*: (8f) Micklow Magic (C Grant, Wolviston; Esors of the late F Taylor), J Stack.

Southwell NH: (NHf) Exstoto (R Fahey; Hb, J D Clark and Partners), Mr P Whelan.

Hexham NH: (hdl) Noel's Pride (M Jefferson, Norton; Pride of Yorkshire Racing Club), A Smith; (chs) Joe Buzz (A Crook, Middleham; Joe Buzzeo), B Harding; (hdl) Moonlight Monty (B Ellison, Malton; Three Muskateers), T Dobbin; (chs) Stylish Interval (D Smith, Bishop Auckland; I Darling), A Dempsey; (hdl) Northern Accord (M Dods, Piercebridge; Mrs R Olivier), R Garritty; (hdl) Ballybrough Rasher (H Johnson, Crook; Comtake-Welding Engineering Specialists), A Smith.

Monday. - Southwell AW: (8f) La Sylphide (A Duffield, Constable Burton; Mrs S E Turnbull), G Duffield.

Windsor*: (11 1/2 f) Party Ploy (K Burke, Coverham; C Batt), N Callan.

Tuesday. - York: (10 1/2 f) Saratov (M Johnston; J David Abell), K Darley; (14f) And Beyond (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), K Darley.

Perth NH: (chs) Jack Yeats (F Murphy, West Witton; Leeds Plywood & Doors Ltd), JP McNamara

Wednesday. - York: Smart Predator (J Quinn, Settrington; Hb, B Shaw), R Winston.

Perth NH*: (hdl) Principal Boy (G Moore, Middleham; Mrs S E Cooper), N Hannity; (chs) Stan's Your Man (F Murphy; Mrs J D Goodfellow), JP McNamara; Askrigg Venture (A Crook; K Johnson), P Niven.