MICK Easterby received a timely boost when The History Man obliged for the Sheriff Hutton trainer in the HSS Maiden Auction Stakes at York yesterday.

He was paying his first visit to a racecourse since suffering from pneumonia after Royal Ascot at York.

Dale Gibson was always handy on the 3-1 shot, but had to battle hard before getting the better of Santerno inside the last of the five furlongs. In the end, he ran on well close home to win a shade comfortably by a length and a quarter.

"I'm feeling a lot better and that's helped me even more," Easterby said after greeting the winner.

"This horse will make a nice sprinter. My son, David, picked this race for him, so give the lad full marks."

An Easterby also returned to the winner's enclosure in the final race when Wing Collar (9-1) landed the Patrington Haven leisure Park Handicap for Mick's nephew, Tim, who is based at Great Habton.

Hambleton's Kevin Ryan also saddled a winner when Mystic Man came home at 5-2 to win the HSS Premier Claiming Stakes over seven furlongs.

Connect warmed up for a tilt at today's Skybet Dash with victory in the hss.com Handicap. The Mark Tompkins-trained eight-year-old was brought with a well-timed run by good 5lb claimer Saleem Golam to hit the front inside the final furlong and score by a neck from Bluebok, with early leader Mimi Mouse three-quarters of a length back in third.

The 11-2 winner earned £9,076 for his efforts and will shoulder a 7lb penalty when he bids to add to his haul in today's £50,000 handicap.

Updated: 10:39 Saturday, July 23, 2005