One of Brighton's staunchest supporters is a hotelier from Cheltenham who has had runners at 11 of the 12 fixtures on the course this year.

Dennis Deacon has seven horses in training with ex-jockey Tony Carroll, who trains near Stratford-on-Avon, and he intends bringing five of them to the festival.

Dennis, 54, said: "I count myself a lucky owner as since February I've had 12 winners and 17 placed horses from just 57 runners and they have earned nearly £46,000.

"Racing is my hobby, but at the moment it's costing me nothing!"

Not surprisingly as his Cleeveway Manor overlooks Cheltenham racecourse, Dennis began with a team of jumpers almost 20 years ago.

He said: "I had 15 winners during that time but two years ago I went down to Brighton to try and buy a horse out of a claiming race.

"It finished third and I duly put in my claim, which was successful. The horse was called Short Change and he went on to win at Windsor."

Although Short Change did score over hurdles for Dennis, he made the owner seriously consider switching to flat racing.

He said: "The risks are so much less and my results have proved it. I have been a member at Cheltenham for 30 years but probably won't have a runner there again - Short Change was the turning point."

The relationship between owner and trainer is almost perfect.

"Tony rode jumpers for me and I wanted to support him when he took up training in 1995 and, by coincidence, Tony reminded me that as a young apprentice he rode his first ever winner at Brighton."

To add to the lure of the city, Dennis has nostalgic memories of leaving home at the age of 16.

"For some reason I went to Brighton and got a job working for a firm known as Baxters of Brighton - they were involved in recycling of cardboard."

If all goes well, Dennis will have a runner in his colours of grey, black armlets and white cap, at Windsor on Monday evening and then move on to Brighton for the rest of the week.

"My wife Sonia and I stay in a nice hotel in the town, leaving my son Andrew in charge of the business at home.

"We really enjoy our visits to Race Hill. The place is 100 per cent professionally run and we are welcomed by name at the reception desk and made to feel very much at home."