WITH a Michael Jackson tribute act performing after racing at a chilly Salisbury last night, it was highly appropriate that the feature race should have developed into a thriller with all six runners in with a chance less than two furlongs out.

Kuwait Currency saw the one mile trip best, knuckling down bravely to impress rider Tom Marquand with his attitude and courage.

"He has been very likeable since we first had him," he said of the Richard Hannon trained colt who shocked connections on his dismal debut. "What happened then we don't know but thankfully he has turned into the horse we believed he was. There wasn't much room out there but he dived in head first."

The two-year-old holds a host of big race entries with assistant trainer Tom Ward confirming the Racing Post Trophy as a likely objective.

"He's a really lovely colt. He was very brave to go through that gap and keeps on improving. We shall have some fun with him."

Ward didn't have far to travel from his Wiltshire base, unlike In-form Becky Smith who comfortably took the opening amateur riders race - but in one sense only just.

Yorkshire-based Smith arrived at the track with only minutes to spare to enable her to weight out and partner Red Charmer who has been revitalised after moving to Marjorie Fife's stable, inevitably citing the Bank Holiday traffic.

"It was so bad, all the way from Middleham," said Smith who was scoring for the first time at the course, her task simplified by the favourite Gala Celebration pulling too hard for his head and being a spent force when the winner challenged two out.

"He's a very easy horse to ride,' modestly quipping of the yard, "They put their horses in the right place which makes me look good!"

Flashcard's official winning distance was a length in the novice auction stakes but he won considerably easier than that would suggest with jockey Rob Hornby anxious to give him an easier race as possible with the future very much in mind.

The Andrew Balding colt was a shock 33/1 winner on his debut at the track last week but was sent off an odds on favourite to shrug off a 6lb penalty.

"I was very cautious with him, " Hornby said of Flashcard who holds an entry in a major sales race in the Autumn. "I knew those in front of him would stop and I coaxed him into it. He has a big future. He was very more switched on in this race and travelled beautifully."

Richard Hughes sponsored the one mile nursery under the banner of his racing club with the favourite Rosamour but he only had a distant view of Newmarket trained Hallalulu who had the race in safe keeping two out.