Barney Curley was on the mark as the former Frank Berry-trained Ontheboil, with the help of a stylish effort from Jamie Spencer, overcame Hitchhiker on the run-in in the Offord Novices' Handicap Hurdle at Huntingdon yesterday.

"I'm semi-retired and only have seven horses now. This one is with my only owner Patsy Byrne," said Curley.

The trainer was full of praise for Spencer and said: "Make sure you know how to spell his name - you'll be writing it a lot in the future. He had plenty of bottle to sit at the back of the field in the first half of the race."

Trainer Jim Old is probably considering ordering an extra consignment of alarm clocks to bring the talented but bone idle Collier Bay out of his slumbers.

The former Champion Hurdler duly landed odds of 8 to 11 in the Huntingdon Novices' Chase but was decidedly ponderous at many of his fences.

It was only towards the latter stages that the lazy Collier Bay warmed to his task, staying on strongly in the home straight to defeat River Dawn by four lengths.

"He was just asleep to start with though he does it well when he gets going and he stayed well," said Old. "It's hard to tell what he's up to but he's probably got loads of reserves."

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, already a winning owner on the Flat, enjoyed his first jumping success as Yankie Lord defeated the favourite River Bay in the Tetworth Handicap Chase.

Unfortunately Ferguson, one of nine members of the Boys In Red syndicate, missed the success. "Alex told me he had to go to a board meeting, though I don't know what could be more important than coming to Huntingdon to see his horse race," said trainer Simon Sherwood registering his first win for 36 days.

"Unfortunately I told Alex to back the favourite to win and to support our horse each-way.

"The horse was never right last season and he spun a shoe when he was pulled up on his debut this season."

Yankie Lord's jockey Graham Bradley was gaining compensation after Selatan had come a cropper at the last in the Tetworth Handicap Chase with the race in the bag.

Selatan was several lengths clear and still travelling strongly when the mishap occurred.

River's Dawn exit left the Malcolm Jefferson's Malawi in the clear but in the end he was all out to hold the strong finish of Hawaiian Youth by a neck.

Magical Shot had the bookmakers begging for mercy when landing a gamble in the opening Netherton Maiden at Wolverhampton yesterday afternoon.

The Declan Carroll-trained four-year-old was slashed from an opening show of 12 to 1 through all rates down to 9 to 2 before getting the better of favourite Arc by three-quarters of a length.

Magical Shot appeared to have plenty on his plate approaching the home turn where Arc nipped into a clear lead but he responded to the urgings of Robbie Fitzpatrick to hit the front inside the final furlong and land the spoils.