12:00pm Monday 6th July 2009
By Samuel Underwood
An unusual line-up took to the track at a racecourse yesterrday.
A shark, a koala bear and a house were among the contestants in the Mascot Derby held at Brighton Racecourse.
The annual charity fundraiser is a popular crowd-pleaser.
Held alongside a day of horseracing with extra fun and games laid on, the race is a chance for mascots from across the south to pit themselves against each other in a show of speed.
First past the post in the 100-yard race was Southern Water's mascot Ollie the Otter.
Ollie, better known as Southern Water operative Simon Judd, claimed a £1,000 prize for the company's chosen charity.
The win is the latest success for Ollie, who last month romped home first in a mascot race at Plumpton Racecourse.
As well as the horse and mascot racing, visitors enjoyed fairground rides, a climbing wall and go karts.
Children even had a chance to try their own hand at being a jockey with pony rides that were on offer.
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