BOOKMAKERS were hardly forced to erect crash barriers to repel marauding masses of punters after a succession of favourites were turned over at Salisbury yesterday.

The standard was set in the opening five furlong maiden when Frivolous Lady, not in the same parish as the winner at Windsor last month, took the five furlong maiden to cause a 50/1 upset. And nobody was more surprised than trainer David Evans.

"She fluffed the start at Windsor," he said of her dismal debut. "Experience counts for a lot in these sort of races but it was a bit of a shock to beat this lot. But it's always nice to get a winner here, Salisbury is one of my favourite courses."

Almost worse was to follow when Bateel reeled in Twitch in the shadow of the post to snatch the first division of the 10 furlong maiden by a nose. By Dubawi, she was the one horse certain to relish the softened ground transformed by at times torrential morning rain.

Connections however had been far from confident of a bold showing from the filly who had not burning up the Newmarket gallops.

"It was her first day at school and we hoped she might pass a few," reflected David Simcock's assistant, Tom Clover, of the 33/1 debutante. "She has not exactly been setting the gallops alight at home but that was a lovely introduction and we are pleasantly surprised."

Significantly James Doyle forsook the high profile Dante meeting at York for the slimmer pickings at Salisbury and he eased Endless Time, having her first run since August, to an eight-length success in the feature handicap.

However Godolphin spokesman James Ferguson issued a sensible note of caution about the performance.

"It was a small field. The ground was always going to be an issue. Ours handled it, others didn't. But she's gaining experience and we'll take her home and see what happens. There are no plans at the moment."

Perhaps the most taking success of the day came with Loving Things who coasted home in the second division of the 10 furlong maiden, impressing evergreen jockey Jimmy Fortune.

"They went fast and then stopped a bit in front so I wouldn't get carried away but she is clearly a nice filly."