Top riders can ride any track but Eastbourne certainly took more getting used to than most, Lakeside or Arena Essex as it was called,was small but it was a track that you got good racing on and was also usually well prepared.
I would say Eastbourne is completely different to Monmore, both small but you get better racing at Monmore, well you used to when track was prepared well. I keep telling the wife size isn't everything!
The gating tart as you call him had already passed Howarth in the race he took out MPT and in a later race passed Hans so that doesn't sound like he has to knock off anyone to pass. He didn't knock off Bowtell.
The point probably is that it is likely that Allen would have won the race anyway so you would expect a 4-2 to Scunthorpe in heat 14. Our problems are obvious, King isn't riding well but seemed to perform better later in the meeting but he should be getting double figures every meeting and Ablitt isn't up to this level.