Brighton is a true track for course and distance specialists. Eight of the course’s runners on Tuesday have won over their respective trips at the venue before, and we have had a deeper look at all of their chances of doing so again below.
Arzaak, Gatwick Kitten, King Crimson & Moveonup (5.40 Brighton)
The opening classified stakes pitches four separate course and distance winners against each other.
First up is ARZAAK, who has been among the more consistent competitors in this lineup. He has won once in his five efforts over track and trip, but was also a short-head from claiming a second such success in June. He is likely to be thereabouts at this venue.
His small margin defeat was behind MOVEONUP has six runs at this venue for Gay Kelleway, but only two over course and distance. The first of those came last May when down the field, but having not won since January 2020, he finally got his head back in front ahead of Arzaak, just about getting up on the line.
GATWICK KITTEN is the least exposed of this quartet. His win here was his only one so far in his career and came after 18 starts. He had initially been trained by Dermot Weld, but the transfer to Ai Stronge, and a run at this track, ensured he finally got off the mark. A repeat of that effort may well be enough.
Finally, there is the formerly useful KING CRIMSON. Now a ten-year-old, he was rated 86 at his best with Mick Channon and is now with John Butler. He won on his second start for the yard at Catterick and was a winner here for Sean Curran in 2019. He has been consistent off handicap marks in the 50s recently.
Wisper & Confils (7.10 Brighton)
For both second trainer Jonathan Portman, and for his new handler Marcus Tregoning, WISPER has an excellent record over course and distance.
She raced at Brighton over 1m2f in three successive races, returning with form figures of 121. Having run 14 times without a victory at a variety of tracks, she found herself enjoying the south coast, as she won by 3¼ lengths here in October. That came on soft ground, but she very nearly followed up on good-to-firm the following week.
Returning to this venue on her first start for Tregoning, she did indeed win on that surface, ensuring she had risen 11lb in the ratings. However, this course clearly brings out the best in her and she can be expected to continue her form.
Also in attendance here is CONFILS for Surrey-based George Baker. It took him a few tries to get off the mark at this track, but he did it in fine style on his third attempt.
He won by four lengths in September last year and the runner-up has been an impressive winner since. Two starts at Bath and Kempton thereafter provided little to shout about, but he is only up 4lb since that success and could have more to offer.
Ideal Guest & Attache (8.10 Brighton)
George Margarson’s IDEAL GUEST got off the mark at the 11th attempt last time out. His long-awaited triumph came over Brighton’s 7f and it must have been a straightforward decision to run him here once again off the back of that.
In a first-time visor, Ideal Guest dominated from the front, drawing almost three lengths clear of the runner-up. That win came only last week and a follow-up could well be in the offing up 6lb. That is not a rise in the weights that befits his control of that contest.
He will be up against a rival for a very powerful operation in Andrew Balding’s. His competitor here is ATTACHE, an equally cosy winner over course and distance back in May off a mark of 59.
He was also put up 6lb for his success here and nearly followed up at Chepstow. Up a further 3lb, he could not capitalise back at Brighton most recently. That was a significantly stronger race than this one though and he remains of serious interest.