Brighton Preview: Isla and Hughes a potent combination

Just Isla runs Brighton well and can exploit a drop in class to land the 6f selling handicap there today (2.30).

The Peter Makin trained filly is a dual winner over course and distance, and is now just 1lb higher in the weights than when registering her last success in a class 6 contest at Chepstow.

That gives the four-year-old major claims from a handicapping perspective, especially now dropping down into selling company and getting the services of champion jockey Richard Hughes in the saddle for the first time.

Just Isla was not at her best last time out, but prior to that had run really well on three occasions at this venue.

Those runs included a solid second in a class 5 contest over 7f on Just Isla’s penultimate start, and a repeat of that effort is going to make the daughter of Halling very difficult to beat in this grade.

Hughes looks to hold leading claims of landing a double on the card aboard Darting in the 1m 2f handicap (4.00).

The Andrew Balding trained filly shaped with plenty of promise on her second start of the season when a 4 1/4 length fourth of 14 to Bragging over a mile at Windsor.

The winner has gone on to score twice since and is now rated 107, and the runner-up, third and fifth home have also all gone on to score.

That is strong form in the and makes Darting look on a handy mark off just 68 in what is a weak looking class 5 contest.

The daughter of Sharmardal also caught the eye last time out when fourth in a handicap at Nottingham, and could be capable of much better now fitted with the hood for the first time.

In the 1m handicap (5.30), Gypsy Rider can take advantage off a drop in the weights to provide trainer Henry Tett with his first success.

The gelding last scored over a 7f at this venue last July when trained by Richard Curtis, when running on strongly to get up and beat Hawk Moth by a neck off a rating of 53.

The five-year-old now gets into this off a career-low of just 50, after shaping as if in need of the run last time out at Wolverhampton when finishing a decent fifth.