Phil Bell reckons this is going to Brighton racecourse's finest ever year. A brave prediction from the up-and-coming track's general manager.

But then it pays to be a bit on the bold side when you are trying to forecast success stories at the top of Race Hill.

Just ask the 2,000 or so punters who saw the form book turned upside down as Brighton's new season kicked off yesterday.

JR Stevenson took the day's highlight, the Brighton Mile, at odds of 25-1. Jollands was also a winner at 25s while Swino won the day's final contest, the Bat and Ball Handicap Stakes, at 33-1.

By that stage many racegoers had headed for the exits as chill winds started to bite into what had been a pleasantly mild afernoon.

But Bell, who has materminded a turnaround in the course's fortunes in the past three summers, expects to see them flocking back in greater numbers than ever before.

He declared: "I believe the interest we have generated over the past three years is going to pay-off this year, I really do.

"In 1998 nothing was done because we didn't have time.

"In 1999 we refurbished the hospitality boxes and last year we did all the public facilities and the grandstand.

"So now if you come racing here you can be looked after in brand new facilities and I think the message is getting home.

"Don't forget we are also doing a huge amount of non-racing business. That's gone up 50 per cent in the last year.

"In terms of all those income streams, it will be our best year, I am sure."

Even those who did not hit lucky with one of the long-odds winners would have enjoyed their first outing to the seaside course.

Opening day at Brighton is always a sign that summer, while not just around the corner, is at least on its way and the course will stage another 21 meetings, including three evening events, a ladies' day and a family day, between now and November 2.

There was no Frankie Dettori to kick things off this year but Pat Eddery, the best known jockey on view, scored in the second race when he guided Marshal Bond home to continue his recent good run.

Odds-on favourite Double Play had already taken the opening race, helped by Brett Doyle's mis-judgement of the finishing line on Dangerous Liaison.

Doyle eased up too soon, was beaten half a length and was handed a five day ban when he faced the stewards later in the afternoon.

Eddery was on favourite Indian Sun in the next race but finished well off the pace as G Baker guided Kosmic Lad, fancied as a no more than an each way contender, to a surprise win.

The Brighton Mile, one of six highlights on the course's race calendar, offered a wide open contest, with American contender JR Stevenson powering to the £6,955 first prize.

Brighton trainer Gary Moore ewas left empty handed but wasjust glad to be racing on ground rated good to soft after the recent double whammy of heavy rain and the foot-and-mouth crisis.

He said: "This is the best ground I have seen on a racecourse for a long, long time.

"I am amazed it has dried out as well as it has.

"It has been difficult for everybody but they have coped and done the best they could to get as much racing as possible.

"It affects the owners more because I still have to send out their training fees. The owners don't get anything back because they don't get results from the horses.

"But it does mean all the plans you try to make are a waste of time.

"I've got a horse here today who has been due to run four or five times.

"I haven't been able to work horses on grass because we are not allowed on certain footpaths and grass gallops."

As a local, Moore is as aware as anybody of the unique nature of a course which snakes along the top of the hill around Whitehawk before turning into what can often be a near gale whipping in off the English Channel He admitted: "This course is a law unto itself. Some horses go well here but if they don't like it, they never will.

"When the going is this good it gives the horses more of a chance.

"In the last two or three years it has never been as firm as it used to be. They do a good watering job here now.

"But I wouldn't say it's a challenge the jockeys look forward to."

Bell admitted he had briefly feared yesterday's meeting would be scrapped when foot-and-mouth broke out earlier this year.

The course spent £3,000 on laying mats soaked in disinfectant mats, through which vehicles and spectators had to pass.

There were no misgivings among yesterday's punters, who put Bell and his team firmly on course to record an average paying attendance of 2,000 this summer, as opposed to the 1,500 of last year.

Next year the course hope to lay on a Sunday meeting in July, tipped by Bell to be a big favourite with people from around Brighton and Hove.

But he remains all too aware that Brighton's strength, its stunning location overlooking the Downs and the sea, can also be its weakness in bad weather.

He admitted; "Last year we had about ten of the 22 race days in driving rain and wind and people just won't come in that weather.

"There is a good positive feel about the racecourse now from everybody. They like to see the place back on its feet, particularly local people.

"But we are so dependent on the weather."

And that's something even the bravest punter could never hope to predict.

Author Jim Beavis is writing a book on the history of Brighton race course and would like to hear from anyone with a story to tell him. He can be contacted on 0208 650219.