MIDDLEHAM trainer Jedd O'Keeffe enjoyed a fine across the card double last Saturday with Arch Walker winning the 5f handicap under Michael Stainton at Redcar, while later in the evening Patrick Donaghy steered Dubai Celebration to victory in the two-year-old maiden at Haydock in good style.

The feature race at Haydock, a valuable 1mi handicap, was won well by the Alan Swinbank-trained Ezdeyaad, who was recording his third straight victory, all in the hands of P J McDonald.

On Sunday, there was a cracking seven-race card at Pontefract and the training performance of the day came when Howard Johnson sent out Prospect Wells to win the Listed Race after a long lay-off.

He was ridden by Paul Mulrennan, and afterwards the winning jockey said: "He's a really nice horse and it reflects great credit on everybody concerned with him that he's still here considering he nearly died after being gelded."

Also on Sunday, there was jumps action at Hexham and trainer Philip Kirby kept up his fine run of form with Simply Smashing winning the staying handicap chase.

The final race of the day went the way of the George Moore-trained Majestic Mayhem who was supplementing his recent course and distance success in the hands of Barry Keniry.

Afterwards, Keniry said: "We haven't had him long as his owner bought him himself at the Doncaster sales in May. He had good form in Irish point-to-points and I think he could be very smart when jumping fences."

There was a quiet start to the week with no northern racing until Wednesday when Carlisle staged an eight-race card.

The first race of the day, a two-year-old maiden, provided a 25-1 shock with the Kevin Ryan-trained Bold Bidder coming home in front.

Ryan's neighbour Bryan Smart, who had Excel Bolt run so well for him when finishing third at Royal Ascot, sent out an interesting newcomer in the filly Al Madina who showed the boys how it is done in the 6f maiden, making it a quick double for jockey Royston Ffrench.

In the winners enclosure afterwards, Smart said: "She's a very nice filly and I've always thought a bit of her. I half thought she might be a Queen Mary filly early on but she just lost her way a bit and she's going to be more of a six or seven-furlong filly now."

Northallerton trainer Edwin Tuer has his small string in fine form of late, and Ailsa Craig supplemented her recent course win with another polished display under Tony Hamilton in the 1mi handicap.

Tuer bought the four-year-old from Richard Hannon last October and she is proving a bargain buy and can win again.

Further south on Wednesday evening, there was all-weather action at Kempton, and Ann Duffield saddled the first winner of the evening with Whispering Spirit, who ran out an easy winner of the 1mi handicap in the hands of Amy Ryan.

An hour later, Frankie Dettori and Mark Johnston teamed up again to victory, this time it was Honest Broker, the well-backed 100-30 favourite, who came home in front in the 7f handicap.

Johnston has got bigger fish to fry this weekend as one of his two Royal Ascot winner's, Monterosso, has been supplemented for this Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh, and been well-backed as well.

An easy winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting under Dettori, Monterosso will be ridden this time by champion jockey Ryan Moore as Dettori has to ride for his retained yard.

Looking ahead to the big race, Johnston said: "The horse seems very well. I've done this a couple of times before so it's tenterhooks from now until Sunday, but we can't see any reason not to go."

Newcastle stages one of its big days of the year tomorrow, with the highlight being the John Smith's Northumberland Plate.

Donald McCain, who is better known for his success over the jumps, has a serious chance with Overturn.

The six-year-old did well on the Flat for Walter Swinburn but has progressed even further since joining McCain, with the highlight coming up in April when he ran out a ready winner of the Scottish Champion Hurdle.

Back on the Flat here, he has more to offer and the booking of Eddie Ahern catches the eye to say the least.