SALISBURY’s autumn nursery school programme may undergo a sharp revision after a paltry turn out in two of its four juvenile races yesterday.

Just three contested the seven-furlong affair and the six-furlong event was reduced to a match when one of Richard Hannon’s two entries was withdrawn through injury.

“We will definitely talk about it during the winter,” course supremo Jeremy Martin confirmed.

“There were only five runners in last year’s main race, which I think is all right.

“Maybe it’s just a blip this year. Perhaps we might have to speak to the BHA about it but whichever way you look at it, it is very disappointing for all concerned.”

However, that was not to say the action was devoid of drama, with two blistering performances from local stables and Richard Hughes finally overhauling Ryan Moore in their gripping battle for the jockeys championship.

Their duel was a snapshot of the season, with Hughes trailing Moore by one appropriately shadowing his rival on Elysian Flyer throughout, only mastering the initiative well inside the final furlong. He then went on to take the lead on Musicora in the competitive six-furlong handicap.

Afterwards Hughes paid tribute to Moore, recognising his desire to win the championship is the greater.

“It was a pleasure to go by the greatest jockey in the world,” he said in admiration of his weighing room colleague and close friend. “I know he is not trying to be a champion, but I am.

“I have finally got there, though I thought it would never happen” confessed Hughes, who is taking a rare day off today to visit his father in Ireland before returning to the fray with a double stint tomorrow.

Musicora was the final leg of a treble for Hannon, initiated in style by Moheet, the only ride of the afternoon for Frankie Dettori who had been impressed by the two-year-old when he recently came down to the yard to ride work.

Hannon admitted he had not contemplated defeat. “I fullyexpected him to win. He's a lovely horse and will be a nicer one next year.”

And can history repeat itself?

It was at this corresponding meeting in 2007 that Ralph Beckett introduced a winning debutant in Look Here.

Ironically, he did not attend the meeting then and was absent again yesterday, attending the same sales in Ireland, and missed out on Chemical Charge’s impressive performance.

“It looked a poor race on paper but he had been well educated at home and soon put the race to bed,” Oisin Murphy observed of the Derby entrant.