Today's tips: Grendisar can finally strike gold at Lingfield
The Channel 4-televised fixture is now in its third year and the Marco Botti-trained Grendisar will be maintaining his 100 per cent attendance record as he tackles the 10-furlong feature.
He lined up off a mark of 97 in an apprentice event at the inaugural running but has made relentless progress since and boasts an official rating of 112 ahead of his second crack at the Easter Classic.
Grendisar could finish only third last year but given the fact Tryster is widely expected to star at Group One level at Meydan on Saturday, the merit of his two-length defeat is there for all to see.
The six-year-old struggled to find his form in a couple of autumn starts but two wins since the turn of the year, in the Winter Derby Trial and the main event itself, show that he is hitting his peak at the ideal time.
The conditions of the race certainly put him in the driving seat and while Battalion can prove a worthy adversary judged on the ratings, Grendisar’s recent match practice makes him the obvious choice.
Elsewhere on the £1million plus card, Captain Cat can regain the title he won in 2014 in the Ladbrokes All-Weather Mile Championships Conditions Stakes.
He impressed in this race two years ago and went on to make his mark in Pattern company that summer, winning Group Three events at Haydock and Salisbury.
However, Roger Charlton tried to eke his stamina out to 10 furlongs in the Winter Derby last year and that decision failed to pay off, as did stepping him up to Group One level on the turf.
He demonstrated his well-being when reverting to optimum trip of a mile at Kempton last month and a repeat of his defeat of Sloane Avenue would put him in the thick of it once again.
Ex-South African star Cold As Ice has perhaps not made quite as many waves as expected, but she can really make her mark now in the 32Red All-Weather Fillies’ And Mares’ Championships Conditions Stakes.
Grade One-placed in her native country, the four-year-old has had three starts in Britain in preparation for this seven-furlong event.
Initially well beaten by Lamar at Wolverhampton, she stepped up on that when claiming a handy victory at Chelmsford in December before finishing third behind Rivellino in a Listed heat last month.
She was awkwardly away that day and could not get back on terms, so she deserves plenty of credit for the way she came home and will take some beating if things fall right.
Spring Loaded has two narrow victories on his record this term and can further enhance those statistics in the Unibet All-Weather Sprint Championships Conditions Stakes.
He does not win by far which suggests there could still be any amount left in the locker by Paul D’Arcy’s star.
Ballynanty was a bit unlucky when beaten by Anglophile last time out and can reverse the form in the 32Red All-Weather Marathon Championships Conditions Stakes.
