Godolphin Eye Up Easter Classic

Easter weekend not only gets the taste buds going for chocolate lovers, but also provides a mouth-watering card at Lingfield on Good Friday courtesy of the All-Weather Championships – beamed live on Channel 4.

Godolphin To Strike Again?
Headlining the £1m card is the Easter Classic (3.45pm) over 1m2f, where Godolphin will look to add another big-race pot following their World Cup success last weekend.

Going for gold on this occasion is the 4yo, Tryster (4/5), who is unbeaten in four outings on an artificial surface, including the Winter Derby over C&D three weeks ago.

Charlie Appleby’s gelding showed a dazzling turn of foot that day to settle matters within an instance, winning with a fair amount in hand at the line to beat Grendisar (5/1) just under 1l, with Complicit (7/1) 1/2l back in fourth. The same three runners are set to lock horns once more, but it’s hard to see a reversal in form if Tryster is in the same mood.

Grendisar Out For Revenge
Some may point to the fact that when Grendisar hit the front he looked the winner a furlong out, but was caught late in the day by Tryster – too late to battle back. It’s possible that Grendisar’s jockey that day, Martin Harley, may decide to adopt more patient tactics on Friday by tracking Tryster, instead of setting up the race for him.

As for Complicit, then his fourth represented a career best despite being beaten just over 1l, and the fact he was drawn wide in double-figures that day also suggests he is entitled to get a touch closer this time around.

William Haggas’ Battalion (10/1), was also in the same Winter Derby, eventually beaten over 3l in sixth, but seemed to run his race without being good enough, although the filly, Lamar, looks interesting at 16/1.

Lamar Big At 16/1
James Tate’s 4yo won a couple of small-field conditions events prior to running Grendisar to within a short head in a Listed event over C&D 41 days ago. In receipt of 9lb that day, this filly battled back once headed to lose by the shortest of margins, and while Grendishar will be 4lb better on Friday, Lamar possibly has more improvement to come and is available at three times the price.

Irish Raider
Matthew Smith sends over his Dundalk winner, Shalaman (16/1), who won a decent event over 1m2f a month ago to record a career best. Although a 6yo, he defeated a Group 1 winner in Parish Hall at Dundalk and could well make the frame at big odds.

Tryster’s stablemate, Gold Trail (25/1), is also on show at big odds, having won three handicaps on the spin prior to a narrow defeat over 2m here in February. Although this colt seemed to stay the trip that day, it’s possible a switch back to a more truly run 1m2f could bring about more progress.

Recommended Bets
Three of the top four from the Winter Derby over this C&D return to do battle once more, but the manner in which Tryster kept his unbeaten record on this surface that day was impressive – so impressive that a profit of 80% upon stakes invested at odds of 4/5 could look big come Good Friday.