The Sound Of….Seagulls

Good morning all,

The start of what looks a busy old week coming up for me, with fixtures both North and South that I'll be attending. And the first of those comes today, as I awake to the sound of (hungry, I'm guessing) seagulls at half past six this morning on Hove's seafront, as I'm off to the second day of Brighton's August fixture.

Brighton, much like Fakenham, is one of those tracks you have to visit at least once in your racing life, despite being well out of your way. I first visited here a couple of years ago and rather fell in love with the place, for some inexplicable reason, and try to come here at least once a year.

Keep heading South down the A27 until you can't head South no more for fear of driving into the sea, turn left and keep heading up what appears to be a never-ending steep hill. I'll tell you how steep it is – the Yaris starts groaning if I try and do it in third – until you get to the top and there it is on your right, Brighton Racecourse.

It is what it is, and whilst you're never going to see a Guineas winner in the Maidens there (someone will now prove me wrong) it's generally competitive, if bottom-level, racing. Three of today's four handicaps sum that up perfectly -smallish fields, yet it's 3-1 the field.

The view from the top of the stands is lovely – you look down on the town looking to your right, and across the downs to your left, not a view you get at Uttoxeter. And the course itself is unique, a real rollercoaster, and although you get an idea of it on the TV, seeing it in person really brings home all the many undulations the track has. If you wanted to, you can drive out to various parts of the track (from outside the course) and watch them whizzing by you on what appears to be a Wall Of Death at times.

The facilities are fine – some leather couches in the Premier Enclosure, the luxury! – the staff helpful and friendly, it's not overpriced and all-in-all, there's worse ways to spend a Monday afternoon.

The only pain is the drive back to the Midlands after – I'll have the M27, M25 and M1 to deal with at various times from 5.30 onwards. I'm guessing it'll be dark when I get back.

Then it's on to Southwell tomorrow and Stratford Wednesday night, and then I can hopefully put a few Eyecatchers up towards the end of the week.

The Eyecatchers have, in the main, been going okay recently – I was delighted to see Where's Cherry run well at Southwell last week, although the cat's out of the bag somewhat now and hopes of getting a big price on her handicap debut look slim now. Weld Arab ran well at Worcester yesterday too, and was very unlucky to bump into the gambled-on Suffice (the pair clear) – compensation surely awaits. Jarlath won next time up too, and he should win again before the handicapper catches up with him.

As for today, and trying to find a winner, I've had a small e/w double on Indus Valley in the 2.30 (never seems to run a bad race at Brighton, and may well get the run of this from the front) and Lutine Charlie in the 4.30 (running to very consistent speed figures, which is more than most of these are) as I think both will hit the frame, at worst.

For the bet today, and a bit of value at double figures, I'm going for Nag's Wag in the last at Kempton (8.50). If not but for a poor effort at Bath last time, she'd be shorter than the 12-1 on offer this morning, you feel. A C&D winner for David Evans (claimed by George Baker after that win), she's been running consistently well in this grade, the trip is ideal and there seems no reason she won't run her race tonight.

Good luck with all your bets today,

David.