Going Conditions and the Day in Overview

Bank Holiday Monday brings a proper afternoon of jumping to Brighton, with six races spread across the card and just shy of £93,000 in total prize money up for grabs. The going is currently Good to Soft, but with forecast rain in the area it would be no surprise to see that ease further before the first. That's worth bearing firmly in mind when making your selections — horses who have previously shown a preference for cut in the ground will be at a premium today.

Brighton's undulating track is quirky enough at the best of times, and on softening ground it rewards genuine stayers and horses with a clean jumping technique. Sloppy hurdlers tend to get found out here. Check the Brighton racecard for the latest going updates before you commit your money.

Feature Race: The EWGA Handicap Hurdle (15:45, Class 2, £24.8k)

The EWGA Handicap Hurdle over 3m 1f 83y is the standout race on the card by prize money and class — a £24,800 pot attracting a tight seven-runner field of seasoned hurdlers. This is the one that matters most today, and it deserves your full attention.

Shallow River (Olly Murphy, Sean Bowen) is the horse I keep coming back to. A ten-year-old rated 125, he carries the [D] flag — a course winner at this very track — and Olly Murphy's horses have been in cracking form. Sean Bowen takes the ride, and frankly there aren't many better when the ground is on the testing side. He's not flashy about it, but Bowen has an instinctive feel for pace in staying hurdles that makes him worth a premium in races like this.

Divilabother (Tristan Davidson, Harry Reed) also catches the eye. Rated 124 and carrying the [C] flag, he's a course winner who clearly handles Brighton's demands. At eight years old he's in the prime of his jumping career, and Davidson has been quietly assembling a solid string this season. If the ground eases to Soft, his course form becomes even more relevant.

Al Sayah (Neil Mulholland, Jack Tudor) is the top-rated runner at 125 alongside Shallow River. A six-year-old, he's the youngest in the field and potentially the most unexposed at this trip. Mulholland doesn't run horses in races like this without confidence, and Tudor is a jockey in the ascendancy. He's a serious player, though his lack of a course or distance flag means he's taking something on a leap of faith at 3m-plus on this track.

The Cavendish Cup Chase (16:19, Class 3, £24.6k)

The Wicks Group Cavendish Cup Handicap Chase over 3m 1f is the day's other big-money race and it's a cracker on paper. Seven runners, a competitive spread of ratings from 112 to 132, and Mickey Bowen saddling three of them — that's a yard worth watching closely.

Breizh River (Tristan Davidson, Harry Reed) is my pick of the field. Rated 131 and a course winner [C], he's an eight-year-old who looks well placed off his mark. Davidson and Reed have already combined in the EWGA Hurdle, and if Breizh River runs to his best over fences here, he's the one they'll all have to beat. Good to Soft suits him, and if it eases further, even better.

Tommie Beau (Seamus Mullins, Benjamin Macey) is a course and distance winner [C,D] at eleven years old and rated 127. You can't dismiss these veterans lightly — they know their job, they know the track, and Mullins is a trainer who gets the absolute maximum out of older horses. He'll stay all day and jump honestly. The concern is whether the handicapper has caught up with him.

Grand Clermont (David Pipe, Rian Corcoran) heads the ratings at 132 and Pipe is a trainer who travels horses for a reason. Worth including in your multiples at the very least.

Earlier Races: Key Runners to Watch

14:35 — Sticky Toffee Pudding Juvenile Hurdle

Opening the card is a fascinating juvenile hurdle for three-year-olds, none of whom carry official ratings — so this is genuinely an unknown quantity. In races like this, experience of the track and confidence in the jockey become the differentiating factors.

Wicksey (Ben Haslam, Richie McLernon) is one I'd look to. McLernon is an underrated pilot who tends to ride juveniles with real patience, and Haslam's yard has been in decent nick. Time Twister (Michael & David Easterby, Jamie Hamilton) also merits consideration — the Easterby team know how to place a horse, and Hamilton is a competent claimer who won't panic on a quirky track. Patrick Wadge takes the ride on Jambearee for Brian Ellison, while Charlie Maggs partners Lynxman for Mike Sowersby. Oakley Brown rides the Keatley-trained Vietnorm, who is one to keep an eye on given the yard's recent form. Royal Baroness is a non-runner, leaving six to go to post.

15:10 — The Campbell & Rowley Handicap Hurdle

Thirteen declared but four non-runners leave a competitive nine-runner field over 2m 6f. Handmedownastar (Nick Scholfield, Sean Bowen) heads the weights at 115 and Bowen's presence is always a positive indicator. Fairlawn Skipper (Mickey Bowen, Shane Fenelon) is a course and distance winner [C,D] rated 108 — on ground that's likely to ease, that course form is gold dust. Don't dismiss him at a likely bigger price than the top weight.

16:55 — The FGH Handicap Chase

The 2m 5f chase is another strong Class 3 contest. Pour Les Filles (Mickey Bowen, Sean Bowen) heads the field at 127 and the trainer-jockey combination has been firing all afternoon. Karnaval Point (David Pipe, Rian Corcoran) at 125 is an interesting runner for a yard that clearly fancies their chances on the day — Pipe and Corcoran also team up in the Cavendish Cup. If the ground eases, Bleu d'Enfer (Donald McCain, Theo Gillard) at 124 could be the value play — McCain horses often improve for cut in the ground.

Best Bets and Ones to Watch

  • NAP: Shallow River (15:45) — Course winner, in-form yard, Sean Bowen in the saddle. Ticks every box for the feature race.
  • NEXT BEST: Breizh River (16:19) — Course winner in the Cavendish Cup, Davidson and Reed in good form, handles cut in the ground.
  • EACH WAY: Fairlawn Skipper (15:10) — Course and distance form is a huge asset if the ground eases, likely to go off at a workable price.
  • ONE TO WATCH: Al Sayah (15:45) — Youngest in the feature field and potentially the most unexposed. If he handles the trip, he could be anything.
  • TRAINER TO FOLLOW: Mickey Bowen — Three runners in the Cavendish Cup, one in the FGH Chase, one in the Campbell & Rowley Hurdle. When a trainer loads up a card like this, there's usually a reason.

It's a proper afternoon's racing on the South Coast. The ground is the key variable — keep an eye on any going updates before the off, and if it slips to Soft, lean even harder into those course and distance winners. Enjoy the card.