BALLYMAC MISCULA, trained at Monmore by Kim Billingham, completed an unbeaten run through the Coral Brighton Belle when making all the running in the 515m Category Two feature at the Sussex venue on Thursday.

Breaking smartly inside, the December 2015 daughter of Ballymac Matt and Moyar Kite raced to a cracking 4.19sec split before stretching out to get first run on favourite Donation, who moved into second down the far side.

Heather Dimmock’s bitch, winner of the Lowther Stakes, stayed on with real purpose but could not reel in the game front runner, who stopped the clock in 30.00sec (-20) for the 515m trip to take the £2,500 first prize.

Winning trainer Billingham was at Monmore for the track’s 90th birthday celebrations, but watched the race from Hove unfold and cheered her runner on to Brighton Belle success – a second for Monmore in four years after Butts Mott’s success for Pat Cowdrill in 2014.

“Because of staff holidays, and the fact I had 13 runners at Monmore, I stayed there – and it was a great night. The staff really got into the 1920s spirit – and then to see ‘Missy’ do the business was fantastic. It topped off the night.

“We opened a bottle of champagne, and I’ll admit to a tear or two – she’s been such a great bitch for us for a long while, and always runs her heart out. She’s just run Hove great and to beat such a fantastic field is brilliant. We’re all delighted.”

Billingham has a share in the near three-year-old along with longtime owners Gavin Treen, Keith Parsons and Mike Rowe and explained how they came about having the Liam Dowling-bred racer.

“The lads saw her trial with a few others of Liam’s which we bought, but the timing mechanism wasn’t working for her sprint trial, so they went on what they saw. They liked what they saw, and so did I when she arrived at the kennels.

“She had something about her, you could see the potential, so I took a share in her myself,” she added. “Mike, Gavin and Keith have been loyal owners of mine for many years, and are just fantastic owners for the kennel.”

A trial recently at Swindon had been intended to prepare Ballymac Miscula for the Oaks, which has been mooted for the Blunsdon venue. “We’re still unsure what’s happening there, but she trialled there just in case,” added Billingham.