Brighton, Monday 22 June 2026: Good To Firm, Mostly Sunny

Brighton, Monday 22 June 2026: Good To Firm, Mostly Sunny

A six-race card at Brighton on a sunny Monday, fast ground, and a trio of races worth picking apart. The undulating, left-handed track rewards handy horses and the good to firm surface today suits those with proven form on a sound surface. George Boughey’s 31% strike rate at this course is the standout trainer stat, and Jason Watson’s 21% record here keeps him relevant throughout the afternoon.

6:35 EBF Maiden Stakes (5½f, Good To Firm)

Selection: Roxa Love (4/9, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

This is a thin maiden and Roxa Love is the class of the field on debut evidence. Trained by George Boughey, who runs at a remarkable 31% at Brighton, the filly finished third at Lingfield with a clear late surge, shaping over exactly today’s trip on good to firm. The key detail is the manner of that run: she finished with purpose when others had cried enough, and this shorter field at the same course configuration looks a step down in difficulty.

Boughey has been firing at 26% in the last fortnight and Jack Callan has solid course form here at 17% with an A/E of 1.09. The joint market leaders Henley On Thames and Roxa Love make this effectively a two-horse race. Henley showed early pace at Sandown on debut but faded, and Kevin Philippart De Foy has a strong 22% Brighton record. The concern is that his yard has sent out just 2 winners from 23 runners in the last 14 days, which is cold form. Roxa Love holds the stronger structured case and the 4/9 reflects that clearly. No each-way value at this price in a five-runner field, but the win case is solid.

8:10 Fairplay Confined Handicap (7f, Good To Firm)

Selection: King Of War (5/2, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

Six runners, a bunch of front-runners with new headgear on, and the form points to one horse more clearly than the market fully acknowledges. King Of War was placed at this course over a mile last time, beaten just two lengths off the same mark, and the key is the drop back to 7f. That is his optimum trip on fast ground, and trainer Michael Wigham operates at a 20% strike rate at Brighton with a positive A/E of 1.13. This yard has sent out 1 winner from 5 runners in the last two weeks, not blistering, but one winner from five is not a cold operation.

David Egan’s 15% course record here is honest, and first-time tongue-strap and hood can sharpen a horse that clearly goes here. Tea Sea has the course-and-distance win and Tony Carroll’s yard is hot at 11/52 in the last fortnight, so that is the main rival. But Tea Sea’s most recent Brighton appearance was a nine-length thrashing over a longer trip, and returning to today’s distance is presented as the fix. King Of War ran at this course last time and went close. That is the stronger recent evidence at 5/2.

8:40 Brighton Summer Sprint Series Qualifier Handicap (7f, Good To Firm, 12 runners)

Selection: Dion Baker (7/2, Boyle Sports/Betfred)

Twelve runners, a qualifying handicap, four places paid at 1/5 odds. Dion Baker Each-Way has won his last two and the second of those, at Bath last time with cheekpieces fitted, was a smooth success that underlined a horse in peak form. Trainer Michael Wigham has that 20% Brighton strike rate and the A/E of 1.13 tells you his runners here are not drifters. Handles all going types. Has course-and-distance experience. The hat-trick angle is a legitimate risk in handicaps, as the assessor will have taken note, but at 7/2 in a 12-runner field with each-way terms paying four places, the value is there.

Aim For The Bull won this exact race last time and carries top weight today, which makes his task measurably harder. Havana Mojito went within a neck here in first-time blinkers and represents the biggest danger in the field. Prefer The Sister is the market leader at 9/4 and that price is short enough for a mare yet to win in recent starts. Dion Baker at 7/2 brings back-to-back wins and course form to the table. Take him each-way and let the field come to you.

Today’s NAP

Dion Baker — Brighton Summer Sprint Series Qualifier Handicap (8:40, Brighton)
Odds: 7/2 — Boyle Sports (others: 7/2 Betfred, 7/2 LiveScore Bet)

Back-to-back wins, cheekpieces firing the horse, a trainer who strikes at 20% at Brighton with a profit-to-SP record, and good to firm ground that suits. Twelve runners with four places paid means the each-way angle stacks up at this price. Aim For The Bull and Havana Mojito are genuine dangers, but Dion Baker brings the freshest winning form and the course experience to close out this qualifier.

Each-Way Recommended 4 places at 1/5 odds