Howard Johnson and Graham Wylie are now firmly entrenched as one of jumping's superpowers and they unleashed another smart prospect at Ayr in the shape of Hard Act To Follow yesterday.

The Irish bumper winner looks set for good things after making a highly encouraging debut over obstacles in the hands of Graham Lee in the A New Dawn At Cumbernauld Novices' Hurdle.

The six-year-old was sent into the lead turning into the straight and he gradually drew clear to pass the post with five lengths to spare over Supreme's Legacy, with Windy Hills eight lengths further away in third and the rest well strung out.

''I was very pleased with that, he travelled well and jumped well and Graham (Lee) said he is an embryo chaser,'' Wylie said.

''We bought him just after Cheltenham, we were told he was for sale and Howard liked him when we saw the video of him. We were a bit worried about the ground, it was heavy but he handled it and I think he will get three miles.''

Timmy Murphy gave 15-2 chance DJ Flippance a typically determined and strong ride to win a thrilling Betfair Handicap Chase.

The ten-year-old was 2lb out of the handicap but his rider more than made up for that as he drove the gelding into the lead on the run-in and then kept him up to his work to hold the gallant top weight Kerry Lads by one and a quarter lengths.

The winner is trained by Andrew Parker for Anita and Ray Green, who said: ''I have to say thanks to the connections of Ebinzayd for taking him out, otherwise our horse would have been 7lb out of the handicap, but I told them to back DJ Flippance so everyone is happy.''

Nicky Richards has a fine record at the course and he completed a double with Topanberry, who had the assistance of Tony Dobbin in the Subscribe To Racing UK On 08700 860 432, and Young Albert, who took the bumper in the hands of Brian Harding, who had earlier initiated a double on Fountain Brig.

The former was a dramatic affair with Bywell Beau slipping up and bringing down Sobraon and Jexel, with Bywell Beau's rider Michal Kohl breaking a collar-bone.

But incredibly his two colleagues Scott Marshall and Richard McGrath, as well as all three horses, escaped injury.

Richards, who also trains Sobraon, said: ''Topanberry is a grand little filly, but she would not have liked this ground, it went against her really."

He added of the Trevor Hemmings-owned Young Albert: ''He has always shown us something at home. He is still very green and we may give him a run in another bumper."

Nick Alexander brought half his team to the course and went home with a first success of the season in the bag as Fountain Brig showed the way home for Harding in the Absolute Mortgages Novices' Handicap Chase.

Alexander said: ''We have eight horses in and the four we brought are all home-bred and from the same family. We may bring Fountain Brig back for the meeting in early January.''

Irish trainer Shane Donohoe, who saddled four winners at Musselburgh a month ago, got his Ayr raid off to a good start when Up Above made all the running to win the New Year At Ayr Racecourse Novices' Hurdle in the hands of promising apprentice Andrew McNamara.

Donohoe said: ''He can't get his jumping right, but if we ever do he might make up into a fairly decent horse."

Conditional jockey David Da Silva was able to claim a 10lb allowance as he was riding for his retaining stable in the Weddings At Western House Beginners' Chase and it proved invaluable as Shares landed the spoils.

The five-year-old went to the front at the third-last and stayed on to keep Mr Mcauley at bay by one and a half lengths.