FORMER Southampton and England international Mick Channon was in mischievous mood after poking fun at the parentage of Minnamoolka after the filly had bolted up in the fillies' novices race at Salisbury.

"She's by Anjaal. You don't buy them, they're given away," he quipped.

On a more serious note, Channon, who reckons his former club will have a better Premier League season than the pessimistic experts forecast, undoubtedly has a high opinion of the two-year-old forced to carry a penalty after bolting up at Bath, yet was in so much command that she could be eased well before the line.

"She's a smashing a filly as you could wish to have. She has always been very nice, she's just needed a bit more time. She didn't mind that ground and she certainly wasn't stopping. "

Provided she comes out of the race well, Channon will probably run her in next week's valuable Dick Poole Stakes at the track.

Salisbury Journal: Minnamoolka winning the fillies race

They maybe the fiercest of rivals on the track but the best of friends off it - just as well as Megan Wingrove just got the better of her sister Jodie in a pulsating finish to the women amateur riders' race. Now she has levelled the score after Jessica recently beat her at Sandown.

"She took it well, she gave a big hug" laughed Megan, banishing thoughts of a possible grudge match before the season's end.

She had not helped her cause by losing her whip about a furlong and a half out but had the priceless advantage of the stands side rail to keep her mount Takeronefortheteam straight and snatch the spoils in the final few strides.

"The race panned out well," she said after collecting her trophy. "I was trying to get as much cover as I could. He settled well and just kept on going after I dropped my whip."

Naturally, Megan, who was registering her first win at the track, has a soft spot for the five-year-old which delivered her first winning ride at Doncaster in March. "I love him to pieces."

Hierarchy won in the style that would suggest he would relish a step up in trip after taking the six-furlong novices stakes but winning rider Oisin Murphy would have none of it.

"I would definitely stay at this trip, he's a sprinter," said the champion jockey. "He's very straightforward and I like him a lot. I hope he can go onto better thangs."

It was very much a cat and mouse affair in the six-furlong conditions race as the favourite Albasheer stalked his two rivals but it was a mouse that won as Jumby fought back tenaciously after being headed inside the final furlong to get up close home and give Murphy his second winner of the night and his 110th of the campaign.