Only a small field but a tidy little sprint over a shade short of six furlongs, with £4,690 on offer to the winner. Our runner by runner preview and expert tip are below.
IN SUMMARY: LADWEB is back down to his most recent winning mark on a track that he has enjoyed in the past. He will appreciate the cut in the ground and a race that should be run to suit him. Marie Of Lyon probably won’t get a soft lead with Fang in the contest, but she will be looking to take this by the scruff of the neck from a long way out to bring her stamina into play. If they do go quick, Majestic Moon is another one with form over further who will be staying on well up the hill.
1 MAJESTIC MOON – More than two years since he last got his head in front, tumbling down the handicap as a result. He is yet to race at this track, but a victory on the switchback course at Goodwood suggests that he shouldn’t have any problems with Brighton. He is adaptable with regards to ground, however the very best of his form has come over seven furlongs so he is going to need them to go plenty quick enough in front to bring his stamina into play late on.
2 MARIE OF LYON – Looked like a smart recruit as a juvenile, winning with plenty to spare on her debut before a notable Listed placing on just her second ever start. She has failed to live up to those early runs so far in 2017, running respectably in a pair of Newmarket handicaps over seven furlongs. She looks sure to try to make this a test from the front given that extra stamina, but she doesn’t look desperate for a drop back to this trip in general.
3 LADWEB – A three time winner in 2016, connections will be hoping that the ground stays good to soft with his best form all coming with some dig. He boasts a win and a runner-up effort from four runs at this track so he knows his way around the undulations. He has slipped back down to his last winning mark so, if there is enough juice in the ground for him, he is very much the one they all have to beat.
4 HIGHLY SPRUNG – Slipped a long way down the weights before eventually halting the decline on quick ground at Redcar in July. He has run two shockers since – including at this track – so it’s hard to know what to expect from him. He is well enough treated on his old form from 75, given that he was rated as high as 90 just eleven months ago, but he’s hard to support with any confidence.
5 FANG – Both wins have come when he has gone from the front, including over this course and distance in July 2016. He followed up first time for this yard but has only managed a couple of places since. That win came from three pounds higher so he is more than capable of making his presence felt if he gets an easy time of things on the front end, but that looks unlikely with Marie Of Lyon in opposition.
6 WHITECREST – A regular at the track, this will be her 25th visit to the South Coast. She has four wins, six seconds and three thirds to her credit so far, producing three of the top four efforts of her career here. She was a little disappointing when only fourth here last week when there should have been no excuses over the ground. This is a slightly higher level than she normally operates at so she is going to have to up her game if she is to score here.