OISIN Murphy was fortunate to escape serious injury in a horrifying drama at an autumnal Salisbury yesterday.

The champion jockey had just mounted the newcomer Oasis Gift when the colt, who had been well on his toes in the preliminaries, suddenly spooked. Galloping out of control the length of the parade ring in front of shocked racegoers, he crashed into the plastic rail and surrounding hedge.

Murphy, who held a 10-winner lead in this year's championship, received prompt medical attention and was able to walk to the ambulance for further assessment at the district hospital. Following his discharge, he tweeted his gratitude to the course and hospital staff, confirming: "I have had a few stitches to my lip and face. I am very grateful for all the messages and help."

The horse ran out of the chute leading to the racecourse and galloped down the track before being caught and held behind the stalls at the start of the seven-furlong race for the two-year-olds. He was unharmed.

Murphy, leading rider at Salisbury this season with 12 wins, had been due to partner the fancied Wodeton in the second division of the novice stakes and ironically he dumped his replacement Hollie Doyle as the runners arrived at the start but she was quickly on her feet and remounted the colt who led for much of the race before dropping out of contention.

There was a sharp divergence of opinion as to where the best ground lay, with half the runners heading to the far rails and the remainder staying on the stands side. However, the winner Hannibal Barca won so convincingly it wouldn't have mattered whatever Ryan Moore chose.

"Very happy with him," trainer Brian Meehan naturally confirmed of Hannibal Carca. "He has grown up a lot from his run at Ascot where he was babyish. Today he did what he was supposed to do and did it well. Ryan certainly was very complimentary afterwards. I will speak to the owners and the Racing Post Trophy is a possibility."

Moore rode his second winner of the afternoon when Wind Your Neck In upset Israr who had been quoted as low as 25/1 for next season's Derby on the back of his impressive debut at Doncaster. Israr looked menacing as Jim Crowley brought him to challenge the other leading market fancy two furlongs out but that was as close as he got with his rival drawing well clear to score by three and a half lengths.

However, Jim Crowley did not have to wait long for compensation, despite Ribhi needing every yard of the six furlongs in the juveniles' conditions race.

Trainer Marcus Tregoning almost had nowhere to go with the Dark Angel colt after his luckless Doncaster run and was forced to drop him back in trip and run him on rain drenched ground softer than ideal.

"But the main thing is that he won," he said, adding the longer Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury next month will come under consideration for Ribhi who with his frame should make a useful three-year-old. "But that all depends on whether there's better ground."

And at 5.17, it was over for another year with Sovereign Duke having the dubious distinction of being the last one home.