AS we predicted, magnificent Murghem landed the Group 2 Geoffrey Frear Stakes at Newbury in battling fashion under Darryll Holland on Saturday.

Next on the cards for him is probably the Irish St Leger, trainer Mark Johnston said, but the Melbourne Cup in Australia "isn't foremost in my mind," he added.

Fellow stable star Royal Rebel, another determined winner at York on Tuesday when beating Rainbow High by a short head, is a possible for the Australian $2million race. But owner Peter Savill may wait until 2001 to send him down under.

On Wednesday at the Knavesmire Bouncing Bowdler landed the spoils under leading jockey Kevin Darley in the Listed Costcutter Roses Stakes.

Another Swiss success came on Sunday for the Middleham trainer, as Markus Graf's Akbar landed a valuable 15f race under Joe Fanning.

Johnston's Thursday win was with Kind Regards at Beverley, which followed up at Hamilton on Tuesday. Friday last saw St Helensfield second at Newbury, with Sea Squirt winning that evening at Newmarket.

James Bethell landed a superb Ripon double with Healey and Mickley, while surprise of the day for some at Ripon was Mick Easterby's comprehensive victory in the Great St Wilfrid sprint with William's Well.

The NSPCC's Full Stop Appeal is highlighted at Thirsk's penultimate meeting of the season today when the opening race is at 2.20. Redcar stages its Ladies Night tomorrow when racing starts at 5.30.

Ripon's two-day Bank Holiday Meeting on Monday and Tuesday is the course's final fixture of the season. Monday's programme features the £20,000 Ripon Champion Two-Year-Olds Trophy over six furlongs - the course's only Listed race - and racing on both days begins at 2.30.

ALL THE WINNERS

National Hunt (jumps) meetings are indicated by NH, all-weather flat, by AW. Other meetings are all flat meetings, turf. Evening meetings marked by an asterix *. Hb = Homebred by owner.

Thursday last week. - Beverley: Best Port (trained by John Parkes, at Upper Helmsley; owned by W A Sellers), ridden by Tony Culhane; Harrier (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; The Rumpole Partnership), Jason Weaver; Kind Regards (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Maktoum Al Maktoum), Kevin Darley; Pasithea (Tim Easterby; Hb, Lady Legard), Kevin Darley.

Epsom: Al Muallim (David Nicholls, Sessay; Neil Smith), Alex Greaves.

Friday. - Chester: Sporting Gesture (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; Steve Hull), Joe Fanning.

Newmarket*: Sea Squirt (Mark Johnston; M J Pilkington), Darryll Holland.

Catterick*: Uhoomagoo (David Nicholls; the David Nicholls Racing Club), Ollie Pears; Bedevilled (David Barron, Maunby; Mrs J Hazell), Dean Mernagh; Old Feathers (Jimmy FitzGerald, Norton; Marquesa de Moratalla), Keith Dalgleish.

Saturday. - Newbury: Murghem (M Johnston; A Al-Rostamani), D Holland.

Sandown: Miss Progressive (N Tinkler, Langton; J P Hardiman), C Rutter.

Ripon: Healey (J Bethell, Middleham; Www Clarendon Racing.Com), J Weaver; William's Well (M Easterby; Hb with trainer, Mr K Hodgson & Mrs J Hodgson), D Gibson; Love Thing (R Fahey, Butterwick; Giles W Pritchard-Gordon), R ffrench; Mickley (J Bethell; Www Clarendon Racing.Com), J Weaver.

Sunday. - Dielsdorf, Switzerland: Akbar (M Johnston; Markus Graf), J Fanning.

Pontefract: Keep Ikis (M Reveley, Lingdale; T McGoran), T Culhane; Premium Princess (J Quinn, Settrington; Derrick Bloy), K Darley

Monday. - No DST area winners.

Tuesday. - York: Royal Rebel (M Johnston; P D Savill), M Kinane; Night Flight (R Fahey; C H Stevens), J Reid.

Hamilton: Notation (D Chapman, Stillington; trainer), C Bryan; Kind Regards (M Johnston; Maktoum Al Maktoum), J Fanning.

Wednesday. - York: Bouncing Bowdler (M Johnston; Paul Dean), K Darley.

Carlisle: Swandale Flyer (N Bycroft, Norton; Barrie Abbott), J McAuley

Brighton*: Torrent (D Chapman; Mrs J Hazell), L Hanna.

Perth NH*: Cootehill Boy (W Storey, Muggleswick; John J Maguire), G Lee.