Betway Easter Classic All-Weather Middle Distance Championships Conditions Stakes result
1st Convey (11/10 fav)
2nd Absolute Blast (7/1)
3rd Allez Henri (25/1)
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Race report
Ryan Moore guided Convey to a straightforward success in the Betway Easter Classic at Lingfield.
Sir Michael Stoute's Winter Derby winner was sent off a popular 11/10 favourite and the victory never really looked in much danger as Moore had him in the perfect position travelling sweetly behind the leaders.
The five-year-old picked up stylishly when asked for his effort two furlongs from home and he swept to the front past Third Time Lucky and Elbereth.
The mare Absolute Blast battled on well from much further back and came home in second, with the French raider Allez Henri grabbing third in the dying strides.
Reaction
Ryan Moore said: "It was fairly straightforward. He started well. There wasn't much pace early and then Paul went along and I was in a nice spot.
"I would have liked some horses to aim at and bring me into the race for a bit longer, but he's a good horse.
"Things haven't always been straightforward with him, but I think he really enjoys the surface and he's grown up.
"This was a nice long-term plan they put together and it's worked out well.
"He had too much class for them today."
Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, racing manager for winning owner Robert Ng, said: "He's always been a horse with a lot of talent but he just seems to have improved. He was gelded over the winter and that seems to have helped a little bit.
"He was impressive in the Winter Derby and again today, it's exciting.
"We'll speak to Sir Michael and Robert Ng as well. He's been invited to the Champions Mile in Hong Kong on May 7 and there's a good chance he'll go there.
"If he doesn't go there, I'm sure there'll be plenty of races for him here, but Mr Ng never comes to see his horses run in Europe and when you get an invite for a race like that it's quite tempting to give it a go."
Luke Morris, ride of Absolute Blast, said: "The winner is a very good horse and he nicked a couple of lengths from me and I couldn't quicken with him, but she is a very good mare. Hopefully, we'll be able to nick a Group 3 with Absolute Blast once we run on the Turf."
Trainer Archie Watson added: "We are delighted with Absolute Blast. The winner is a very good horse and she is running against the boys. Her draw in nine didn't help, but I think if we'd had a better position, it would only have made the difference of finishing a half-length closer.
"She'll have a little break now with a couple of weeks on the easy, and we'll aim towards Epsom for the Princess Margaret Stakes."
Aurelien Lemaitre, rider of Allez Henri, said: "He jumped off a little bit slow, a bit soft. He was a bit tight around the first bend. He was very relaxed throughout the race, responded well when asked to, and finished well."
The trainer of Elbereth, the 12/1 chance fourth-placed horse, Andrew Balding said: "We are delighted with the run. It is not really her track, she probably wants a more galloping track, but she's stuck to her guns and she's improving all the time. She's a tough filly. We've lots of options ahead of us."
