All-Weather Championships Finals Day & Easter racing

Features | 1st April 2021

A guide to a busy weekend's racing, there's ITV coverage for 3 days of the Bank Holiday and All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield.

The highlight of the jam packed weekend of racing this Easter Bank Holiday is the All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Lingfield on Good Friday.

ITV will be covering the action on three of the four days over the weekend. Following Finals Day on Friday they’ll be showing the Saturday action at Musselburgh and Haydock Park. Then the cameras get rolled out for a special treat; the  Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. 

All-Weather Championships Finals Day

This Friday sees the best racehorses throughout the All-Weather season, which runs from October to April, compete for the biggest prizes.

The biggest race of the day is the £100,000 Betway Easter Classic which features top notch horses Bangkok and Forest Of Dean. Bangkok is the hot favourite and was last seen coming eighth in the Saudi Cup in Riyad, while his market rival Forest Of Dean won the Group 3 Betway Winter Derby Stakes. The pair have clashed before, with Bangkok coming out the victor on that occasion. 

Crowning of Champions

The All-Weather champion jockey, trainer, apprentice, owners and winningmost horse will be celebrated after their successes over the winter months.

Richard Kingscote is set to be named All-Weather Champion jockey after recording 77 winners during the campaign and has a great set of rides on Good Friday.

The record-breaking jockey and third in last year’s Sports Personality of the Year award, Hollie Doyle has enjoyed another successful year on the All-Weather and has 70 winners to her name as well as claiming big race victories in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia during the winter. 

The All-Weather Champion Trainer Mick Appleby is set to win his fourth Champion Trainer title in the Championship’s eighth season.

Mick Appleby
Champion All-Weather trainer, Mick Appleby

The All-Weather Champion Apprentice title will be going to the talented Macro Ghiani and the Champion Owner title will be Godolphin’s once again.

The winning-most horse title is due to go down to the wire, with the George Boughey-trained Khatm due to bid for a remarkable seventh success in the 3.35 contest at Chelmsford. 

A win would see Khatm win the title outright, but if he fails to add to his already impressive tally, the honours will be shared with the Phil McCentee-trained Northonthorpe Boy, who’s also notched six wins for his Newmarket-based handler.