Brighton's best crowd in 30 years were celebrating as hot favourite True Night lit up the most valuable meeting in the course's history.

Most of the crowd of about 5,000 were cheering True Night home in the £20,000 Courage Best Brighton Mile.

Eddie Ahern's mount hit the front just under two furlongs out and was driven out to hold It's Our Secret by a length and a quarter.

The winner is part-owned by leading telephone tipster Henry Rix but he claimed not to have supported the 7-4 chance with his own money.

He smiled: "My clients were on the last two times but I thought it was a bit short today.

"But obviously he is in great form and we will have to see what the handicapper does now. He was already due to go up 6lb and hopefully he won't put him up any more as he was well-in here and only won by a length."

True Night is entered at Newmarket on Saturday but Rix explained the five-year-old was unlikely to take up his engagement.

Rix added: "He would get a penalty on top of the extra 6lb so I don't think he'll be going there."

Ahern completed a double when 33-1 shot Littleton Zephir caused a turn-up in the following Thorley Taverns Fillies' Handicap.

The winner was providing a first-ever success for Reigate-based trainer Ray White, who looks after a string of about 25.

White said: "A lot of my horses have been under the weather but they're starting to come right again now and this filly worked very well at Epsom the other day.

"It's great for all of my staff and I'm really happy."

Neil Pollard made a winning return after being concussed in a fall at Folkestone five weeks ago.

Pollard's first winner back came on 16-1 chance Blue Knight in the Jack Beards Handicap, the Alan Jarvis-trained gelding leading over a furlong out to land the spoils by a length and a quarter from Lord Of The East.

Another jockey to shine was Richard Hughes, who took the first two events on the Richard Hannon-trained pair, Cayman Venture and Extremist.