PAUL HANAGAN, in winning action at York yesterday, and facing a busy week at Doncaster's St Leger Festival, can make his presence felt at Brighton today.

Hanagan teams up with Hesbaan in the Lifestyle Motorgroup Handicap and Marcus Tregoning's three-year-old is fancied to back up his latest success at Pontefract.

Hesbaan was hardly winning out of turn last month. He had spent the summer knocking on the door in maiden company and finally gained entry with a stylish success.

Today's race sees Hesbaan stepping up from a mile to a mile and a quarter. The extra distance is expected to eke out further improvement in him and he is napped to oblige again.

Richard Hughes, pulling out all the stops to win a third successive jockeys' championship, has a useful book of rides at Brighton.

He is fancied to score on the promising Shadow Rock in the EBF/Seagullsstickets.com Maiden Stakes. Richard Hannon's juvenile finished second at Newmarket last month and a reproduction of that form, again over seven furlongs this afternoon, will make him hard to beat.

Hughes and Hannon can also lift the Mayo Wynne Baxter Handicap with the ultra consistent Royal Connection.

An admirable money-spinner, the three-year-old has the added advantage of being a course and distance winner here, which counts for a lot on such a tricky track.

Bishop Wulstan can be another Hughes-Hannon winner in the Donatello Italian Restaurant Handicap.

The three-year-old went down by only a neck to Sparkling Ice at Goodwood a fortnight ago and was a winner at Bath in July. He should go well.

Malcolm Saunders is a trainer who excels with a small band of sprinters and he can take the opening honours at Brighton with Ginzan.

The top weight rarely runs a bad race and comes into this contest after a creditable third placed effort behind Serenity Spa at Warwick on ground which may have been softer than ideal.

A winner on this course in July on a sounder surface, Ginzan looks sure to run a big race under Fergus Sweeney.

Over the jumps at Perth, Irish raiders are worth keeping a close on, especially in the first two races.

Big Kern represents Brian Hamilton in the opening Scottish Food And Drink Day Novices' Hurdle and the six-year-old promises to be a tough nut to crack.

Already the winner of a point-to-point, a bumper and a hurdle, Big Kern is developing smart-looking credentials. His experience, not to mention his proven ability, should stand him in good stand in this two and a half mile event.

Dessie Hughes sends a rare runner to Britain's most northerly venue in Forget And Forgive, who lines-up for the TUV-SUD Consulting Engineers Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old finished second on his chasing debut here six weeks ago and Hughes has clearly been encouraged enough to make a return journey. Brian Hughes has been booked for the mount.

Hughes also has a good chance on old-timer Oxalido, a decent second at Cartmel last month, in the TUV-SUD Consulting Engineers Handicap Hurdle.

Selections

Brighton today

2.30 Ginzan, 3.00 Shadow Rock, 3.30 Royal Connection, 4.00 Hesbaan (NAP), 4.30 Bishop Wulstan, 5.00 Pelagian, 5.30 Anginola.

Perth today

2.20 Big Kern, 2.50 Forget And Forgive, 3.20 Oxalido, 3.50 Robin’s Command, 4.20 Jazzy Lady, 4.50 Attycran, 5.20 Noir Girl.

Today’s other meeting

Newton Abbot.

Tomorrow’s meetings

Leicester, Perth, Redcar and Worcester.