Grab A Grand: anyone who wins anything at Brighton is a genius - my case rests

It is a truth universally acknowledged, at least by those of us who often go racing at Brighton, that no one with a sense of self-preservation bets on the handicaps. You should react to Brighton handicaps as you would when opening your front door to be faced by a tall man wearing a black gown and hood, carrying a scythe. Expect the outcome to be roughly the same.

It’s tricky, because six of today’s seven races are handicaps and every race is either Class 5 or Class 6. I don’t mean to be unkind but, well, the horses aren’t very good and, on the whole, you wouldn’t trust them with the £1 coin you found on the pavement.

So it’s no surprise when trainer George Baker views with bemusement the fact that his Confrerie is going for a hat-trick in the opening crossword puzzle. “If you met him,” says Baker, “you’d have a great time with him in a pub but if your daughter brought him home you’d be horrified. He’s a maverick and a reprobate and there’s no point asking me how he’ll run because I’ve no idea.”