WHAT a start to the season, an 81-1 double on our first racing day of the the flat season at Hamilton Park yesterday!

Saffizz (13-2) won the two-year-old race - the first Flat of the race of the season in Scotland - in very convincing style. I was worried about the heavy going, but Jimmy Fortune rode a brilliant race and said afterwards that he will improve pounds for that run.

We will give him four weeks off and be aiming high as Jimmy reckons he is very useful.

Ribble Assembly (10-1) - who I napped last week - won by eight lengths and was most convincingly ridden by stable apprentice David Glennon who was having his first ride in this country and a winner.

David had rode in Ireland and was riding in Germany last year.

It's a tremendous feeling having my first double but I hope there's more to come.

Meanwhile, Chorley-born trainer Martyn Wane has some lovely horses this year. Martyn has gone for more two-year-olds this season as the 44-year-old trainer believes that is the way forward.

Martyn has a lovely set-up at Melsonby, near Richmond, and deserves success. I will be following his Top of the Class who was a 25-1 third in the Brocklesby for us last week and go nap on her to win at Haydock on Saturday.

Swan at Whalley runs at Musselburgh on Thursday, but will need the race after having six months off. On the same card at Musselburgh, Kevin Ryan has a lovely two-year-old Distinctly Blue. I have been very impressed with this filly and she should do the business for us. A few horses for your notebook from the gallops: Miss Tango, Ninety Degrees, Swing of the Tide, Sing Song, Red Typhoon, Nifty Major, Suzies Flyer, Uncle Exact and Alyska.

These are all two-year-olds from Jack Berry's yard and I can assure you he will go out with a bang in his last year as a trainer.

The plan with Ribble Assembly is to take him back to Hamilton a week on Saturday.

Have a good week.

TIPS FOR THE WEEK

Wednesday (Catterick) - Tunnel Bridge

Wednesday (Catterick) - Cool Katie (EW)

Thursday (Musselburgh) - Distinctly Blue (NAP)

Saturday (Haydock) - Top of the Class (NAP)

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.