THE RACING game is much like Dr Doolittle's marvellous animal, the Pushmi-Pullu: we can look backwards and forwards at the same time.

This weekend sees the highlight of the early Flat season, with the Guineas meeting at Newmarket, but we have also just ended the 2007-08 National Hunt season, only to restart the new jumps term on Sunday.

Our top jumps jockey, Graham Lee, returned to race-riding after his lengthy absence because of his shattered jaw on the first day of the new season quietly at Wetherby. Everyone was delighted to see him back in the saddle, but he had no winners then.

The first victory was to come at Sedgefield on Tuesday evening when he partnered Mr Jack Daniells for his boss, Ferdy Murphy.

Murphy had also landed the valuable Aon Hurdle last Thursday at the Punchestown Festival in Ireland, with his former jockey, Davy Russell, in the saddle, wearing Mrs J Morgan's colours.

Top jumps trainer in our region last term was Howard Johnson, who finished eighth, with Murphy 13th, Keith Reveley 21st and John Quinn, 24th.

Paul Nicholls, of course, was top.

Among the top owners were Andrea and Graham Wylie, in fourth, with Sir Robert Ogden seventh. Kauto Star (Nicholls) was the top horse, but Sir Robert's Exotic Dancer (second) and Voy Por Ustedes (fourth) were well to the fore.

Lee himself, despite his truncated season, was fifth in the jockeys' table on 89 winners.

Tony McCoy, also injured for part of the season, was top on 140.

The leading conditional (jumps apprentice) was Brian Hughes, with an excellent 39 winners, many for Alan Swinbank, including a seasonal final flourish on Saturday at Market Rasen with Doris's Gift, and for John Wade. He kicked off at Wetherby next day, next season, with a Peter Niven winner, too, and added one for his boss, Swinbank.

One of Hughes' wins for Swinbank was recently at Sedgefield on Go On Be A Lady, who is owned by Hazel Aitkin and not as published last Friday.

Now the forwards look: the 2000 Guineas tomorrow is headed in the betting by Jim Bolger's New Approach, but with the going softened by recent thundershowers, perhaps Henrythenavigator might be a topical choice for a wet course.

While we have no local interest in the colts' race, Yorkshire owner Sir Robert Ogden has a filly in Sunday's 1000 Guineas: Francesca D'Gorgio. This is trained by Jeremy Noseda and Ryan Moore is down to ride. At about 40-1, and with her only win at headquarters coming last year on good to firm, this is more of a wish in the ind bet than a likelihood.

In tomorrow's 4.0, we pick Tajneed (David Nicholls) and in the Listed Newmarket Stakes (4.35), Mark Johnston's Drill Sergeant.

He could also have the answer to the Suffolk Stakes which opens Sunday's card, with Laa Rayb.

Nicholls has two listed in the Palace House Stakes later that day, Tax Free and Peace Offering, but also noted is Bryan Smart's Captain Gerrard and Kevin Ryan's Desert Lord: we're spoiled for choice, but slight preference is for the Smart runner.

Dandy Nicholls won at Ripon as we expected with Van Bossed and had three others this week, too, in particular Shot To Fame at Lingfield being impressive.

Joe Fanning rode two Johnston winners, Greyfriars Abbey at Beverley and Debonnaire all the way down at Yarmouth. Greg Fairley partnered Forsyte Saga at Southwell.

On Friday, Ryan's Cobo Bay ran respectably in the Esher Cup at Sandown, coming a near enough third. Saturday evening at Haydock he sent out a good looking maiden filly, Maggie Lou, to a three-length win. She is a half sister to One Putra, a speed merchant, and even better is expected.

Fergal Lynch partnered that winner for Ryan, whose stable jockey Neil Callan is in cracking form. He has had several winning outside' rides, including landing a spectacular fourtimer for away-from-our-area trainers on Sunday in Brighton, at accumulated odds of 1,436-1.

He moved to the top of the jockeys' title table on 25 winners up to that day, 46 since the turn of the year. By the time we went to press, this had increased to 50 in 2008. He could be a live contender for the championship given his current strike rate.

This included a good win on Ella in the slog which was the mud of Pontefract on Wednesday.

This filly is a daughter of Yorkshire owner-breeder Guy Reed's Flossy, who won the November Handicap in similar conditions in 1999 when trained by Chris Thornton.

Ella is trained for Mr Reed by Alan Swinbank who said that he had told him the softer the ground the better for the family.

As well as his jumps wins mentioned above, the Melsonby handler sent out Cotton Eyed Joe and First Buddy to win, both partnered by PJ McDonald.

Another owner who has done well this week is W B Imison, whose Dispol Diva won at Beverley last Thursday and Dispol Isle at Pontefract, a follow-up win to her success a year ago.

She is trained by David Barron and Paul Fessey had the ride, while Diva is in the care of Paul Midgley and was partnered by young Jamie Moriarty.

The apprentice has caught the eye this week, winning again at Pontefract for Midgley on Toby Tyler and the day before at Southwell for Ollie Pearson Yakimov. Midgley has a good number of two-year-olds who are in winning mode, even on their debuts.

Richard Fahey got off the jumps mark on Sunday, but also sent out Albaqaa, Treasure Isle and good old Bo McGinty to win on the level. Julie Camacho, fresh from a Market Rasen jumps win, took a Southwell brace, Tom Eaves up on both, with Young Gladiator and Pegasus Prince.

This week's winners

Key: unless shown otherwise, all races are Flat on turf. NH = National Hunt (jumps); AW = allweather Flat; ev = evening meeting; Hb = homebred by owner or connections; number in brackets after rider's name indicates lbs apprentice allowance.

Thursday last week. - Beverley: Dispol Diva (trained by Paul Midgley, at Westow; owned by W B Imison), ridden by Jamie Moriarty (3); Duke Of Touraine (Patrick Haslam, Middleham; Middleham Park Racing & John J Maguire), Patrick Donaghy (7); Albaqaa (Richard, Musley Bank; J H Tattersall), Paul Hanagan; Karmest (Alan Brown, Pickering; David Logan), Silvestre de Sousa; Moonstreaker (Richard Whitaker, Scarcroft; Ian B Ender), Michael Stainton (3); Greyfriars Abbey (Mark Johnston, Middleham; Greyfriars & White Rose Poultry), Joe Fanning.

Perth NH: Lazy Darren (Chris Grant, Newton Bewley; Woodgate Family), Richard McGrath Punchestown, Ireland NH: Kalahari King (Ferdy Murphy, West Witton; Mrs J Russell), Davy Russell.

Southwell AW ev: Hamaasy (David Nicholls, Sessay; J P Honeyman), Paul Mulrennan; Cotton Eyed Joe (Alan Swinbank, Melsonby; Mrs S Sanbrook), PJ McDonald (3).

Friday. - Perth NH: Laertes (C Grant; Panther Racing), Denis O'Regan.

Wolverhampton AW: Treasure Isle (R Fahey; trainer) B McHugh (3).

Saturday. - Haydock ev: Maggie Lou (Kevin Ryan, Hambleton; Highbank Syndicate), Fergal Lynch; Marvellous Value (Michael Dods, Denton; A J Henderson), Phillip Makin; Bold Marc (Karl Burke, Wensley; Market Avenue Racing Club Ltd), Andrew Elliott; First Buddy (A Swinbank; W J Gredley), PJ McDonald (3).

Market Rasen NH: Blushing Hilary (Julie Camacho, Norton; Lee Bolingbroke & Sue Johnson), Dougie Costello; Doris's Gift (A Swinbank; Elliott Brothers), Brian Hughes (3).

Ripon: Van Bossed (D Nicholls; Mike & Maureen Browne), Adrian Nicholls; Sandwith (John Wainwright, Kennythorpe; M Sawers), PJ McDonald (3); Caranbola (Mel Brittain, Warthill; trainer), Tyrone Williams.

Sunday. - Wetherby NH: Painted Sky (R Fahey; J P M Syndicate), Miss Jacqui Kidd (7); Ballyhale (Peter Niven, Barton-le-Street; The Little Ice Club), B Hughes (3); Vivona Hill (A Swinbank; Mrs F Crone & Mrs V Birnie), B Hughes (3).

Monday. - Lingfield AW: Shot To Fame (D Nicholls; Middleham Park Racing VII), A Nicholls.

Southwell AW ev: Young Gladiator (Miss J Camacho; Cannon, Grundy, Shaw, Bolingbroke, Hamill), Tom Eaves; Magic Echo (M Dods; Hb, D C Batey), P Makin; Bo McGinty (R Fahey; Paddy McGinty & Bo Turnbull), P Hanagan; Forsyte Saga (M Johnston; Hb, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum), Greg Fairley; Pegasus Prince (Miss J Camacho; David W Armstrong), T Eaves.

Yarmouth: Debonnaire (M Johnston; Ali Saeed), J Fanning.

Tuesday. - Sedgefield NH ev: Mr Jack Daniells (F Murphy; Sean J Murphy), Graham Lee.

Southwell AW: Yakimov (Ollie Pears, Norton; Diamond Racing Ltd), J Moriarty (3); Varadouro (D Nicholls; Clarke & Harlow Partnership), S de Sousa.

Wednesday. - Pontefract: Toby Tyler (P Midgley; Anthony D Copley), J Moriarty (3); Dispol Isle (David Barron, Maunby; W B Imeson), Paul Fessey; Ella (A Swinbak; Hb, Guy Reed), Neil Callan.