FRIDAY evening saw Salisbury racecourse host its 12th meeting of the year.

The card opened with victory for Andover-based Ralph Beckett, whose Cosmic Storm held off Nona Blue in the Shipseys Marquees Lady Riders Handicap for Miss S Brotherton. Hollie Doyle kept the ball rolling for the Lady riders in the next, as she showed great horsemanship to tame the fidgety Swift Mover on their way to post, before guiding her charge to land the Bathwick Tyres Maiden Auction for last year's leading Salisbury trainer, Richard Hannon.

Philip Hide's Haulani cruised to a smart victory in the Bathwick Car & Van Hire Nursery Handicap under William Twiston-Davies and would have been the easiest winner of the night if it wasn't for a dominant display in the feature Listed EBF Stallions Stonehenge Stakes.

Mark Johnston's Montataire obliterated what was a strong renewal of the race in a power-packed all the way win under Franny Norton. Nothing came close to the Newmarket raider who went on to win by five lengths and made an extremely favourable impression in doing so. Beckett's unexposed Gemina ran on well for second, but the feature was all about Montataire who will undoubtedly be stepped up in class next time out.

The card was rounded off with wins for Guns of Leros in the Richard Maclellan Sage of Barton handicap & Ivanhoe in the Sarah Jane Smith Memorial Handicap respectively.

As a result, Fergus Sweeney and Dane O'Neill have crept up the Salisbury jockeys' table as the pursuit of leader David Probert hots up coming into the last four meetings of the season.

Following racing Killer Queen performed a 90-minute set, featuring some of the biggest and best Queen anthems of all time, much to the delight of the busy crowd.

Salisbury next race on Thursday, September 1, which features the Group 3 Bathwick Tyres Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes.