IT’S one of Britain’s most scenic sporting venues and home to an upcoming three-day festival of racing action that gets the county buzzing.

And now, with a brand-new main sponsor in the mix, this year’s Marathonbet Festival of Racing at Brighton Racecourse is set to be the biggest and best yet.

Some 1,500 bottles of champagne and 12,000 pints of beer are expected to be sunk by care-free guests when the festival opens its doors from August 9 to 11.

It’s the biggest event on the racecourses’ calendar and one that guarantees fun, frolics and unique days out for seasoned racing veterans to first-time families looking to make good use of the summer holidays.

Racegoers can expect action-packed cards full of equine talent from all over the UK – uniquely accompanied by breathtakingly stunning views of the South Downs and the English Channel.

Blessed is Brighton Racecourses’ location, it was voted one of the best places to watch sport in the UK by The Telegraph last year.

But aside from top-class racing action and a brilliant day out, what else can guests to this year’s Marathonbet Festival of Racing expect?

Wednesday, the first day, is home to the thrilling Brighton Mile – the track’s richest race with a £20,000 prize pot.

The handicap is open to three-year-old horses and older and regularly attracts big fields that promise edge-of-your-seat excitement.

From the top of the South Downs high above the city, jockeys and their mounts hurtle along a steep downhill descent before turning for home in front of a roaring grandstand. It’s a 12 furlong race that really gets the blood pumping.

Thursday, the second day of the festival, brings one of the most hotly-anticipated events in the Brighton social scene - Ladies Day.

It’s a celebration of fabulous frocks, glam gowns and a host of entertainment including the popular ‘best-dressed’ competition. This year’s winner will scoop cash and prize giveaways for their efforts.

And last but not least, Friday culminates another year of festival fun with a host of seven emphatic races including the lauded Brighton Bullet handicap, which offers a £12,000 prize purse.

Marathonbet, the sponsor putting its name to this year’s event, will also be on hand to entertain guests with offers and couple of surprises throughout the week.

The firm, which sponsors major football clubs including Manchester United, Hibernian, Malaga and most recently Dynamo Moscow, chose Brighton for racecourse sponsorship because of the festival’s history.

In addition to backing the entire festival, Thursday’s £20,000 race – the Brighton Challenge Cup – is being sponsored by the online bookmaker.

Dan Towse, Marathonbet’s head of brand, said: “We recognised the appeal Brighton’s Festival of Racing’s had with locals and a wider audience across the country; that’s why we were keen to partner.

“We’ve got a couple of surprises in store for racegoers and look forward to welcoming both hardened horse racing fans and those who just want a great day out.”

There’s never been a better time to get involved in racing. With many British courses now offering record prize money in their top races and ITV recently taking over broadcasting of the sport in a £30million deal, there’s an air of excitement for what the future holds.

In fact more than 8million people enjoyed watching live racing last year, making the Sport of Kings the second-most popular sporting event in the UK behind football.

Now’s your chance to get involved. There’s just under two weeks to go until the latest edition of the famous festival at Brighton, which is set to be the most attended in recent Brighton Racecourse history.

From the days when the Duke of Cumberland organised the first public race meeting at the current site in 1783 to welcoming crowds of 20,000 during the Second World War, the track has been a treasured fixture of the Sussex racing fraternity.

This year’s festival is set to be a blinder once more.

Executive Director of Brighton Racecourse, Sam Windridge, said: “We welcome you to come up and experience for yourself one of the friendliest racecourses in the UK.

“We have so much planned for the festival and can’t wait to make it the best one yet.

“So, pick your day, pick your outfit and pick your winner.”

Tickets to the Marathonbet Festival of Racing are available from just £17 in advance.

For more information and to buy tickets, head to brighton-racecourse.co.uk