Kingdom rules for Baker
George Baker's brimming confidence in My Kingdom was justified as he ran out a clear-cut winner of the £10,000 (€11,764) 180Casino.com Brighton Rocket Handicap today.
The Hughie Morrison-trained 11-4 favourite hit the front over a furlong out and kept up the gallop to see off Highland Harvest by two and a quarter lengths.
"He was unlucky in his last race at Epsom as he came up against a horse (Fyelehk) who was unpenalised for a win in an apprentice race and was carrying no weight at all," said Baker.
"I really fancied him today as he is a horse who is on the up and quite well-in against the others. He handled Epsom well and he won here as a two-year-old so I knew he would have no problems with the track."
Although festivals and ladies' days are ten-a-penny, Brighton's three-day August meeting has become a real success story with large crowds every afternoon and plenty of sideshows.
There are hopes of staging a Derby trial next April and what used to be a rather shabby and down-at-heel place has transformed into a much-rejuvenated and friendly venue.
It has not treated Simon Dow badly either, with the Paul Doe-ridden Squad (7-1) providing the Epsom trainer with his second winner of the meeting in the McDonnell Racing Handicap as he pulled away from well-backed favourite Beaubrav.
"I love coming here and it's nice to give Simon a winner, as I used to be with him when I was an apprentice," said Doe.
Doe then doubled up aboard David Evans' course specialist Penang Cinta (11-8 favourite) in the Higgidy Handicap as the rider found the quickest strip of ground by the stands rail, the place to be all afternoon.
Doe then went within a hair's breadth of a treble as 4-1 favourite Green Lagonda was touched off by Maggie Kate (14-1) in the Spearmint Rhino Rouge Brighton Handicap.
James Doyle claimed a welcome winner in the 180 Bets - Brighton Rocks Speed Poker Challenge Maiden Handicap.
The tall youngster is not enjoying his best season but his hard work at the coalface paid off aboard the Jonathan Portman-trained Jeremiah (9-1), finishing just a nose ahead of Short Cut.
"I've had a bit of a quiet year - I'm down on numbers and I think that's 24 now," said Doyle.
Doyle's efforts were noticed by the stewards and his joy was tempered by a three-day ban (August 22-24) for excessive use of the whip.
Carmenero attracted plenty of interest at the auction for the 180Poker.com Selling Stakes, changing hands from William Muir to Conor Dore for 11,500 guineas.
An 8-11 favourite with cheekpieces reapplied for the first time in a long while, Carmenero only obliged because of a magical Seb Sanders.
Sanders managed to force the six-year-old in front right on the line, depriving Miss Pusey Street by a nose after the stewards took a long look at the photo.
"We were walking over to second," revealed Steve Piper, one of the members of the Middleham Park Racing syndicate.
"It was some ride from Seb to get him up."
Richard Hannon and Dane O'Neill will not place winning the 180bets.com - For Darts, Racing And Poker Claiming Stakes high on their list of achievements but it at least gave Cordell (5-2) a fine opportunity to get his head in front for the first time in a year and a half.
"I'm sure Richard and his owner Julie Wood will still be pleased to see him win. This is probably his grade," said O'Neill.
