Sunday 23 August 2015

BRIGHTON RACECOURSE AUGUST SUMMER FESTIVAL -- DAY 1

SUNDAY 23rd AUGUST 2015


This summer Brighton are holding another 3 day festival and kicking off with the Sunday meeting which is being promoted as their "Family Fun Day". Surely it'll be a very popular Sunday afternoon down on the Sussex coast and gates open at midday.

I've always enjoyed days out at this friendly track, and while the facilities are a bit basic, you can at least get to see the horses parade, interviews with jockeys and trainers and get served in the bar without any trouble or queues.

Your only concern here is the weather which can be very unpredictable, clear and sunny one moment, windy and sea squalls the next, it's the mist that will spoil things, even in the summer, but as I write this the forecast for Sunday is for rain throughout the day and a high of 21C. Sadly looks like rain for the whole meeting. :O(


We've a 7 race card for the afternoon, the gates will be open from midday and the first race will get under way at 2:20pm. Forecast going is Good to Soft, and with the rain due will not be surprised if that changes to Soft later.


As it's a family fun day they are putting on a number of events before racing including the "Mascot's Race" and if you want to see what that looks like there's a clip here from a previous meeting Click Here 

Also worth noting that Children under 18 are admitted FREE.


Here's my selections for the card on Sunday and we'll keep a running tally on any profit (or indeed loss) for the three days;


2:20 5f 59y Maiden -- Only 5 declared for the opening race, and with the likely fav Aragon Knight proving very expensive to follow we look at Jamie Osborne's MY BEST SONG to kick off this three day meeting with a winner. [2nd 11/4]


2:50 5f 59y Handicap -- A race where Jamie could double up with Absolute Champion but we go with WASEEM FARIS who has won here in the past and was winning at Salisbury when last seen so having had a couple of months break should be ready to go again. [WON 9/2]


3:20 6f 209y Maiden -- Back to maiden company again and don't recall Godolphin having too many runners here in the past yet are double handed with FROCK COAT and START TIME and I'm going to look at taking the pair against the field with both having a bit of experience behind them though this course will be a little bit different to what they are used to at home. [FC - 5th 7/2  /  ST - 2nd 11/2]


3:50 1m 1f 209y Fillies Handicap -- Another small field of just 6 runners for the fillies event, Luca Cumani should always be feared in these events and he sends LILIAN BAYLIS to Sussex for the sea air. I'm going to be sticking with an old friend TRULEE SCRUMPTIOUS who has Jimmy Quinn in the saddle and that's a massive plus around this sort of track. [5th 10/1]


4:20 1m 3f 196y Handicap -- The veteran FOXDALE is 13 years young and yet could still see these off which shows you that it's not the greatest contest on the card today. He is likely to find one of the younger horses too quick (but probably not that quick) it is however hard to know which one. 

MISTAMEL looks the most likely here, recent winner, did it well and this is a fairly straightforward chance to double up. [2nd 5/2]


4:50 5f 213y Handicap -- YOU'RE MY CRACKER has a sequence of runners up places but still comes here in great heart and given another chance to gain another victory. [Non Runner]


5:20 7f 214y Handicap -- 7 Runners for the finale, all eyes will be on top weight DREAM TUNE in the stalls having refused to race last time out. 

QUEEN AGGIE is consistent here and should be popular to follow up her recent win over this course a couple of weeks back, almost certainly to be there at the finish. [4th 9/4F]


A great start to the meeting with a second and WINNER in the first couple of races but we were unable to improve on that with just a few more seconds today. Sadly that meant a loss of -1.5 points to SP. 

Details for Monday should be published very soon, and we'll update that and Tuesday later on too. 

Enjoy your weekend.



Good views from the top of the South Downs

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