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Gosden ace expected to take all the beating in Easter Classic

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori provide the headline act at Lingfield on Good Friday as Wissahickon aims to stretch his unbeaten run to six in the Betway Easter Classic.

Owned by American George Strawbridge, races Stateside and in Dubai have previously been mooted – but for now he bids to keep his winning streak going on domestic shores.

Among his successes have been the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket and also the Winter Derby, the latter over the same course and distance he faces on All-Weather Championships Finals Day.

Gosden said: “Wissahickon is fine. The plan had been to go to Dubai (Sheema Classic), but I wasn’t quite happy with his blood at the time. We switched back to this and it is a nice race.

“He is by Tapit and enjoys the surface. We thought going on the all-weather was a nice place to build him up after the Cambridgeshire and we’ve won the two Listed races and the Winter Derby. There was a nice programme for him there, so we thought we may as well make use of it

“He is clear on ratings, but things have got work out for him. He has got a bit of wide draw (stall eight of eight), which never helps at Lingfield, as you hit the bend so quickly.

“I would have thought we will give him a break afterwards and freshen him up until June.”

Gosden also saddles Court House, who was placed behind Wissahickon in the Winter Derby Trial and the Winter Derby itself.

The William Haggas-trained Victory Bond was victorious in last year’s Easter Classic and is back to defend his crown.

However, the six-year-old returns with plenty to prove after disappointing in the Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton and the Magnolia Stakes at Kempton on his two most recent appearances.

Haggas said: “He hasn’t been as good since winning the race last year and has got blinkers on to try to help him.

“The favourite (Wissahickon) looks home and hosed and I think we are all running for second.

“Victory Bond looks in good shape. He was in a rich vein of form going into the race last year and he hasn’t been the same, but it was a better run at Kempton last time out.”

Roc Angel is one of three French-trained runners on the card and trainer Fabrice Chappet did have other options.

Chappet said: “We decided to run Roc Angel in the Easter Classic as we thought he might get scratched from the mile race.

“It does not look easy for him against the favourite, but he has been consistent this year and there is good prize money to go for.”

David Elsworth saddles last year’s runner-up Master The World, with Mark Johnston’s Matterhorn, the Stuart Williams-trained Pactolus and Executive Force from Michael Wigham’s yard completing the eight-strong field.