When handicapping the Downs, it pays to look for horses and jockeys who have been successful at the track before. The stretch is considerably longer than your average turf course stretch so jocks who move at their usual time will find they run out of horse with a furlong to go. The track is also up-and-down in places and some horses don't handle that well, either. It was originally built as a steeplechase course; they had a huge money (for a jumps race) purse 'chase the first year it was open and a mare from Britian came over and copped the lot.
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