Nielson streeted his rivals in a benchmark 64 race at the same track 16 days ago and, although stepping up to a benchmark 72 this week, he will be compensated by a 2.5kg drop in weight.

The gelding's last-start win ended a 20-month drought but he did spend almost 10 months of that period on the sidelines.

Trainer Adam Trinder's partner and stable foreman Leah Goodrick said Nielson simply did not come up at his previous preparation.

"He was a bit ordinary and we weren't sure what was wrong,' Goodrick said.

"So we put him out for a good break and all his runs this time in have been very good."

Nielson has won seven races, all bar one for apprentice riders.

He has won four races for Chris Graham and one each for Beau Mertens and Teagan Voorham, with Siggy Carr the only senior jockey to ride him to victory more than three years ago.

His opposition at Friday's twilight meeting is quite strong, with the most interesting runner being Scott Brunton's lightly-raced four-year-old Uber Ed.

The Widden Valley gelding has raced only four times for two wins but hasn't started since beating the highly-talented Mister Songman in the $50,000 3YO Classic at Mowbray in February last year.

The Good Friday meeting breaks new ground for Tasmania and is one of only two thoroughbred meetings in Australia on the once race-free religious holiday.

Ascot (WA) hosted the country's first Good Friday meeting in 2017 and remains the only mainland venue.