Seren Teg's good run behind Rouge at Windsor on Monday evening gave Miranda Goodhead a real incentive to get herself 100 per cent fit before the end of the month.

Miranda is almost there already as she rides out two or three lots every morning for Jevington trainer Mark Flower before driving the horse box to the races on the days there are stable runners.

But Miranda, 32, has just acquired her amateur rider's permit and hopes to make her debut in racing colours at Newmarket on August 26 with Seren Teg her probable mount.

There was no point in Miranda applying for her permit in May or June because they cost well over £100 and expire on June 30," said the trainer. "At the moment there aren't any suitable races so Miranda has had to be patient. She is a really good work rider and invaluable to the team as head girl at Devonshire House and she deserves to have a ride or two in races when the opportunity occurs."

If things had worked out differently, Miranda would have ridden the quirky Mellow Miss, but the filly is in foal and ran her last race a few days ago.

She said: "Mellow Miss was my favourite in the yard but I will be just as happy to ride Seren Teg who seems to be coming into form."

Successful as a young rider in show jumping and cross country, Miranda had never considered racing as an outlet for her equine talents despite parental interest.

"My father was always very keen on racing and he had a good friend with a horse in training at Robertsbridge with Gardie Grissell," she said. "I decided to give it a try and ended up spending four years with the Grissells."

Miranda gives Gardie credit for teaching her everything she knows but she moved on.

"I had a period out of racing because of a bad back. A course of acupuncture put things right and I joined Mark in 1998," she said.

So far it has been a tough season for Devonshire House with only two winners. There have been injuries and three of the 15 horses were struck down with a viral infection.

"Luckily we diagnosed the problem and the horses were isolated and no long-term harm was done. Now that Billaddie, Farriers Gamble and Friendly Alliance have recovered from leg injuries and recent runners have performed with promise, I am optimistic we will be on the winning trail very soon," said Flower.

In the meantime, Miranda and Emma Fixter, who prepared and led up runners at Newbury recently, won awards for the best turned-out horses in the parade ring. Flower said: "That is good for morale and nice for the girls to have some extra cash in their pockets even if it is taxed."

l AUGUST is the busiest month for the hard-working management team at Brighton Racecourse.

Five days racing within a three-week period which includes the Labour Party Conference Day, begin on Wednesday.

This will be entitled Ladies Day and there will be competitions for the best hat in particular and the best dressed lady in general with prizes put up by Gold Arts and Sussex Life and by the Old Ship Hotel.

This is a two-day fixture and on Wednesday racing starts at 2.40pm with gates opening at noon. The day is a charity event in aid of the Martlets Hospice and is sponsored by Amplicon Liveline.