A NEW racecourse opens; our Derby hopeful has moved; the Scottish National did not come home to West Witton; and we lost one of our most popular locally- trained horses, Fayr Jag, in a racecourse accident. This is the up and down nature of the racing game.

Great Leighs, near Chelmsford and Stansted in Essex, became the newest and 60th extant racecourse in Britain, with two meetings this week, although the new all-weather course was only open to trainers, owners and their horses, as the infrastructure is still being built. We had representatives, but none won on the first day, Sunday, and we go to press before Thursday's evening meeting there.

Mark Johnston was among those with runners, but his only win in a quiet week for him was Always Brave under Robert Winston at Thirsk.

The Kingsley House star of the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket, Campanologist, who ran there in the colours of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the son of Sheikh Mohammed, has been recalled by Godolphin to strengthen their three-yearold team. Thus our wish for another Middleham Derby win has been taken back to Newmarket...

Ah well, perhaps another three-year-old will surface yet to carry our hopes, somewhere in North Yorkshire.

That might be from Hambleton, but Kevin Ryan's Newmarket runners did not fare overly well at headquarter's meeting on Thursday of last week. Advanced, in the Abernant Stakes, a Listed race, beat all runners on the far side, but was fifth.

Stablemate and Ryan's Classic hope, Alexander Castle, filled the same berth in the Craven Stakes later. We would expect more of both these next time.

Better came at Ripon the same afternoon when Cobo Bay won nicely for Ryan. This holds an entry today in the Esher Cup at Sandown and could make a good showing. Ryan added another at Catterick on Wednesday with Montiboli.

Fayr Jag, who won the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2004, and added other Group successes among his 11 wins, met a tragic accident at Pontefract on Monday, when blindfolded for stalls entry, he backed out, lurched and broke a shoulder.

His trainer, Tim Easterby, said he had given him his greatest moments and his predecessor and father, Peter, said: "He was up there with the best sprinters we have had. He even met the Queen after he had won the Golden Jubilee and he has been a great servant to the stable and to his owner Jonathan Gill. We were going to get him ready for the Stewards' Cup, and we are really going to miss him."

Tim was leading trainer at Ripon last summer and won its opening race last Thursday for the third year in a row, with Anglezarke, partnered by David Allan. They also had success with Hazelrigg at Thirsk.

There, too, Mick Easterby, Peter's brother, sent out Blue Spinnaker to win again, as we predicted. David Barron also obliged for us with Spinning.

Next day, same place, Mick also won with Pee Jay's Dream.

Speaking of PJ, this time of the young apprentice jockey PJ McDonald - who exactly a year ago had landed the Scottish National for Ferdy Murphy on Hot Weld - he was also at Thirsk and partnered Fangfoss Girls to win in Reg Bond's well known colours. This is trained for Bond by Geoff Oldroyd.

PJ, who switched to the Flat after his Scottish success last summer, also gave Alan Swinbank two winners during the week: Solar Spirit at Pontefract and Tarkheena Prince at Nottingham on Wednesday.

His old boss, Murphy, was out of luck trying for his fourth National north of the border, but was successful at Ayr the previous day with Three Mirrors, Keith Mercer up. John Quinn also won there with Auntie Kathleen, Richie McGrath up.

McGrath rode a remarkable overnight double on La Vecchia Scuola, winning on the Scottish trained mare for Jim Goldie on both Friday and Saturday.

Murphy sent Poker De Sivola to Cheltenham last Thursday and David Johnson's five-yearold French bred was second in the valuable 3 mi handicap hurdle under McGrath, to a 50-1 surprise winner, Jug Of Punch.

Not far away from Murphy's West Witton base, two Wensley trainers have had successes on the Flat this week. Bill Ratcliffe's string from Bolton Park is in good order and several placed, with My Kaiser Chief winning at Thirsk.

Karl Burke, who can see across to the Park from Spigot Lodge, sent Raptor all the way down to Yarmouth on Friday night to win and followed up with the topical winner, Calzaghe, at Southwell on Tuesday.

No one is in better form, though, than David Dandy' Nicholls. He had wins at Kempton last Thursday and this Wednesday evening with Dushstorn and Valery Borzov respectively; a Ripon brace with Van Bossed and Tajneed, both Sylvestre de Sousa rides; and with Turnkey at Pontefract, young Adele Rothery in the saddle.

Also in good heart are Mel Brittain, Michael Dods and Richard Fahey, who may run Anna Pavlova on Sunday at Longchamp in the Prix Ganay.

She won a Group 2 at that course and should, if the connections decide to take up the booked place, go well.

At Sandown today, Johnston's Majounes Song may have a squeak in the Gordon Richards Stakes (1.50) and watch for the betting for Zakhaaref in the 3.0.

Our nap is his Captain Webb in the 4.10. Nicholls, Burke and Bryan Smart have runners in the 2.25, but Nicholls looks the likeliest with Fol Hollow.

He should take tomorrow's Ripon opener with this week's winner, Van Bossed. In the 3.40, the 2 mi race, we fancy George Moore's Numero Due. Tim Easterby sends out another debutante in the 4.50 maiden, Jillolini, a nicely bred filly. If she catches the eye in the paddock, she could be backable.

The Week's Winners

Thursday last week. - Kempton AW ev: Dushstorm (trained by David Nicholls, at Sessay; owned by The Untouchable Partnership), ridden by Jamie Spencer.

Ripon: Anglezarke (Tim Easterby, Great Habton; David W Armstrong), David Allan; Van Bossed (D Nicholls; Mike & Maureen Brown), Sylvestre De Sousa; Cobo Bay (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Hb, The C H F Partnership), Darryll Holland; Tajneed (D Nicholls; Alex Nicholls Robert Gilmartin Finola Devaney), S De Sousa; Baybshambles (Ron Barr, Seamer; Miss S Haykin), Ashley Morgan (5).

Friday. - Ayr NH: Three Mirrors (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Sean J Murphy), Keith Mercer; Auntie Kathleen (John Quinn, Settrington; S C B Ltd), Richard McGrath (winner claimed by Maj E J Watt for £9,000).

Thirsk: Always Brave (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Always Trying Partnership V), Robert Winston; Blue Spinnaker (Mick Easterby, Sheriff Hutton; G Sparkes G Hart S Curtis & T Dewhirst), Paul Mulrennan; Spinning (David Barron, Maunby; Mrs J Hazell), Neil Brown (5); Stolt (Noel Wilson, Flaxton; Dixon, McIntyre, Tobin), Ashley Hamblett (5); My Kaiser Chief (Bill Ratcliffe, Bolton Park, Wensley; Camela Racing Ltd), Andrew Mullen (3); Hazelrigg (T Easterby; Duncan & Sarah Davidson), D Allan.

Yarmouth ev: Raptor (Karl Burke, Wensley; Mark T Gittins), Fergus Sweeney.

Saturday. - Nottingham ev: Lisburn (Mel Brittain, Warthill; trainer), Mark Lawson (3); Fantastic Lass (Richard Fahey, Musley Bank; Mel Roberts & Ms Nicola Meese), Paul Hanagan.

Thirsk: Fangfoss Girls (Geoff Oldroyd, Brawby; R C Bond), PJ McDonald( 3) (winner claimed by P D Evans for £9,000); Pee Jay's Dream (M Easterby; P Bown & R Edmonds), Dale Gibson; Utmost Respect (R Fahey; The Rumpole Partnership), P Hanagan; Mey Blossom (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; Waz Developments Ltd), Michael J Stainton (3).

Wolverhampton AW ev: Newgate (Ruth Carr, Stillington; Michael Hill), Danielle McCreery (5).

Monday. - Hexham NH: Emmenso (Howard Johnson, Billy Row; trainer), James O'Farrell (3).

Pontefract: Turnkey (D Nicholls; Middleham Park Racing XXIII), Adele Rothery (7); Solar Spirit (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; Christopher James Allan), PJ McDonald (3).

Sedgefield NH ev: Wee Forbees (H Johnson; Matthew Green & trainer), Wilson Renwick; Hall Of Flame (Keith Reveley, Lingdale; J Henderson (Co Durham)), James Reveley (5); Go On Be A Lady (A Swinbank; Mrs Lynne Ward), Brian Hughes (3).

Tuesday. - Southwell AW: Legendary Guest (David Barker, Scorton; Stef Stefanou), Tony Hamilton; Calzaghe (K Burke; Mrs Maura Gittins), Declan Cannon.

Wednesday. - Catterick: Ykikamoocow (Geoff Harker, Thirkleby; trainer), S De Sousa (bought in at auction for 8,500gns); Blind Spin (M Dods; A Mallen), T Hamilton; Montiboli (K Ryan; Dales Homes Ltd), F Lynch; Saluscraggie (R Barr; Brian Morton), Danielle McReary (5); Big Slick (M Brittain; Northgate Poker), Tyrone Williams.

Kempton AW ev: Valery Borzov (D Nicholls; D Kilburn/I Hewitson/trainer), Adrian Nicholls.

Nottingham: Tarkheena Prince (A Swinbank; G H Bell), PJ McDonald (3).

Perth NH: Little Bob (James Bethell, Coverham; Hb, Robert Gibbons), Paddy Brennan.