All eyes will be on Bangkok and Forest Of Dean as they clash for a third time this season in the feature Betway Easter Classic at Lingfield on All-Weather Championships Finals Day.
On their most recent encounter in the Listed Betway Winter Derby Trial at Lingfield on February 6, Bangkok quickened best to beat Felix by a half-length with a neck back to Forest Of Dean in third.
Bangkok skipped the Group Three Betway Winter Derby three weeks later in favour of a tilt at the Saudi Cup, leaving Forest Of Dean to reverse the placings with Felix and provide trainer John Gosden with a third consecutive victory in the 10-furlong highlight.
Bangkok (Andrew Balding/Silvestre de Sousa), who is the course record holder over 10 furlongs at Lingfield, is the 6/5 favourite with Betway. Forest Of Dean (James Doyle) is next in at 7/4.
Trainers Ed Walker and Brian Meehan are hoping to cause upsets with Assimilation (Luke Morris) and Palavecino (Martin Dwyer) respectively.
Assimilation captured the Lincoln Trial Handicap at Wolverhampton last season and has progressed again this winter, latterly powering home to land a 10-furlong class two handicap at Kempton on March 3.
Walker said: “Assimilation is in cracking form. Whatever he lacks in ability, he makes up for in heart and determination.
“Six months ago, if you said to me that he would have a chance on Finals Day, I would have laughed at you. He just continues to surprise us with his progress through the ranks.
"He seems to be thriving and Luke Morris knows him inside out. He probably won’t be good enough but who knows? He always surprises us and is versatile tactically, which could be an asset in a race like this."
Palavecino has run two good races over the course and distance this season. The five-year-old was last seen out when fourth behind Sangarius in a strong edition of the Listed Betway Quebec Stakes in mid-December, a race in which Bangkok was second.
Meehan said: “Palavecino had a break over Christmas as he’d had a busy enough time of it up until then.
"It just seemed a good moment to give him some time off and he has come back really well. We have had an eye on the Easter Classic the whole time and his preparation has gone very smoothly.
"He is fresh, he is improving, and I would see him in there with a very solid chance.”
Mark Johnston won the most recent running of the Betway Easter Classic with Matterhorn in 2019. The Middleham trainer is represented by Sky Defender, a Group Three runner-up on turf who turns out quickly after finishing behind Global Giant in the Listed Magnolia Stakes at Kempton last weekend.
Lightly raced four-year-old Byford (Ivan Furtado/Jason Hart), a snug winner of a 10-furlong handicap at Lingfield on his penultimate start, completes the field.