Beacon Shines Out At Brighton

It's often said that you need to go against the crowd to make it pay as a horseracing punter, and that advice is undoubtedly sound, but we've all frequently kicked ourselves for ignoring the obvious in search of value when that obvious selection skates up, particularly when it ends up double the odds you expected it to be.

The 15:30 at Brighton is a case in point. My initial reaction was to try to find one to beat the likely favourite Beacon Lady, a much-improved performer who has won her last 4 starts, including 3 at this venue. The drop back in trip might make her a little vulnerable, I reasoned, before digging into the form of her rivals. It was only after watching her win the Amateur Derby again that I realised I was looking at things the wrong way around.

Beacon Lady ran the race of her life at Epsom, and it wasn't due to a superior ride from Patrick Mullins, or because she saw the trip out better than her rivals, but because she was simply the best horse in the field, and she cruised into contention before mowing down the well-handicapped Azrag. This isn't a filly to be inventing a case against on the basis of minor concerns, but a flourishing racehorse who still hasn't reached her peak, and therefore one to side with, particularly as she's inexplicably not even favourite.

Given she and the runner-up came 14 lengths clear of the third that day, it's fair to say that she's well-in under a penalty, and the claim of Oisin Murphy, already a winner on her at this track, is another bonus. The way she travelled at Epsom negates concerns about the return to ten furlongs now, and her claims shine out like...well, like a beacon.

One trainer who has made an impression on me this season is Gary Harrison, and the Scot has done well with limited ammunition since moving to Newmarket. His record of 6 wins in 31 starts in handicaps this year is not to be sniffed at, and he has an interesting runner in the 16:05 in the shape of Coalburn. The gelding is a half-brother to Mornin Reserves, who won the prestigious Gosforth Park Cup in Harrison's colours before becoming one of the first horses to represent him on taking out a training licence.

Given plenty of time to mature after a trio of outings in maidens as a 3-y-o, he shaped much better than the bare result on his handicap debut at Yarmouth last month. Notably weak in the betting, and looking in need of the run, he showed the natural speed which runs through his family, and faded only in the last furlong without his jockey getting serious - a replay showing, in fact, that Darren Egan had dropped his whip mid-race. That fact seems to have been missed by most observers (not mentioned in the form book), but is certainly noteworthy. With improvement expected, and off a rock-bottom handicap mark, Coalburn is worth chancing against the consistent, if somewhat frustrating Chester'slittlegem.

Recommendations:

Both at Brighton

Back Beacon Lady @ [4.3] in the 15:30 (NAP)

Back Coalburn @ [25.0] in the 16:05 (NB)