Trainers rate their chances as Mr Owen and Master The World square up again

Betway Easter Classic All-Weather Middle Distance Championship | Class 2 | 1m2f | 4yo+ | ITV4/ATR

Saving the best until last is not a universally popular formula in horseracing, but the rematch between Mr Owen and Master The World in the feature Betway Easter Classic ought to be well worth staying around for, whatever the weather.

These are horses with a score to settle following Mr Owen's disqualification from the Group 3 Betway Winter Derby five weeks ago after the pair passed the post locked together, having come from well off the pace to prove far superior to their eight opponents.

While it was not immediately apparent from the stands, the head-on camera showed Mr Owen had veered sharply right near the finish, impeding Master The World. What the head on also showed was that he was, in all probability, swerving away from the shadow cast by the big screen on the inside of the track.

Disqualifications are thankfully rare these days, but on this occasion there was an air of inevitability about it. Yet that's not to say Master The World was necessarily the moral winner – after all it was an innocent deviation and Mr Owen lost ground and momentum through it.

There's clearly very little between them, and shadows are highly unlikely to be an issue this time.

David Simcock acknowledges disqualification was "probably the right decision on the day", but he took plenty of positives from the race.

He said: "Mr Owen hindered himself when veering away from the shadow in the Winter Derby. He's trained well since and goes for the Classic with an obvious chance.

"He's very comfortable on synthetics and he doesn't have to be ridden from off the pace. We were drawn wide-ish last time and dropped in, as we weren't prepared to go wide all the way. If he breaks well and sits just behind that will suit us fine."

David Elsworth is taking nothing for granted, but fancies his chances too. He said: "Master The World is seven now but seems better than ever. He's obviously closely matched with Mr Owen, but we would definitely have beaten him last time if he hadn't knocked us over because we were travelling faster, although it didn't do Mr Owen any good coming across and getting in our way.

"He's got a wide draw but that might not be a bad thing. It depends how the race is run, but the navigator [jockey Sean Levey] is pretty good around there and so is the horse. It's not a two-horse race, but if I was outside looking in impartially I'd say he has a sporting chance."

Is Victory Bond less effective at Lingfield?

There's no question Victory Bond is just as effective on all-weather surfaces as he is on turf, but it could be significant that with a record on artificial surfaces of two wins and two seconds from four tries the two defeats were at Lingfield.

Both came in races in which he started a short-priced favourite and both came at the hands of rivals he meets today, Master The World on the first occasion and Utmost on the second.

Victory Bond: 'I think he'll run a really solid race, and with a bit of luck he'll go very close,' says William Haggas

Haggas is resigned to the possibility that Lingfield is not Victory Bond's track but is optimistic nevertheless. He said: "I'm quoted as saying before that Lingfield might not be his ideal track, but this is where the race is and so we have no choice. We just have to make the best of it, but that's the reason we didn't run in the Winter Derby. We thought we'd save him for the Classic."

He added: "He was trapped a bit wide last time and I think he'll run a better race here. I think he'll run a really solid race, and with a bit of luck he'll go very close, but they're all very tight on form and a lot will depend on who gets the best run."

What others say

Jeremy Noseda, trainer of Abe Lincoln
He's in good nick and we'll roll the dice. I hope we get a race run at a decent gallop.

Jamie Osborne, trainer of Battalion
He's a great favourite of ours and we're delighted to get him back in a suitable race on the all-weather after that horrendous fall at Southwell. On current form he's got it all to do, but he's a strange old boy and stranger things have happened. He's good around here on his day.

Stuart Williams, trainer of Pactolus
He's been running fantastically well all winter and the owner is very sporting, so wanted him to have his chance on the big day. He's ultra-consistent and won't be last.

Archie Watson, trainer of Petite Jack
He's very solid round Lingfield and was a good winner over the course and distance this winter. With a good trip, he could run a very big race.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Star Archer
He goes there with a live chance after a good winter on the all-weather, having missed his three-year-old season. He didn't get much luck last time but is in great nick and his work has been very pleasing.

Read stable tours from top trainers as they share insight for the Flat season - exclusive to readers of the daily newspaper and subscribers to Members' Club Ultimate. Join here