Heaven for punters at Newcastle

Racing: Fahey's eight-year-old can complete quick double

HEAVEN’S GUEST is a fair way short of his best form nowadays but should be good enough for the sunbets.co.uk Handicap at Newcastle.

Richard Fahey’s charge was rated as high as 108 in his pomp, winning a Listed event as well as the International handicap at Ascot and finishing fifth in the Group Two Hungerford Stakes.

However, he is eight years old and time appears to be catching up with him, with his rating having slipped down to 85 at Newcastle last time before he took full advantage.

While that win was not in as competitive a heat as this, he ended a barren spell that stretched back to 2015 in style and his confidence should have got a nice boost from that.

The handicapper has put him up 2lb for that win but he is still on one of his lowest ever marks and really should not be ruled out of a quick double.

In contrast, CORINTHIA KNIGHT has been in fine form this winter and now sits on a perch of 105, which puts him ahead of his rivals in the 32Red Casino Conditions Stakes.

FOX APPEAL can rediscover the winning trail in the Polypipe Veterans’ Handicap Chase at Doncaster.

The 11-year-old has done Emma Lavelle proud during his career, and the fact he finished second in a couple of these events already this term at least shows the fire still burns brightly.

He was not without his supporters when contesting the 2017 Veterans’ Series final at Sandown last month but never looked like he was enjoying himself on deep ground and eventually crashed out at the 12th obstacle.

Fox Appeal has historically reserved his better efforts for better ground so, back on good conditions and off his lowest mark for a fair while, Lavelle’s runner holds plenty of appeal.

PACHA DU POLDER needs no introduction and can get his season off to a flyer in the 1st Security Solutions Open Hunters’ Chase. SELECTIONS: DONCASTER: 1.40 French Crusader, 2.15 Air Navigator, 2.50 Wicked Spice, 3.20 FOX APPEAL (NAP), 3.55 Pacha Du Polder, 4.30 Before Midnight, 5.00 Smith’s Bay.

NEWCASTLE: 2.05 Native Appeal, 2.40 Eyes On Asha, 3.10 Heaven’s Guest, 3.45 Corinthia Knight, 4.20 Lovely Approach, 4.50 International Law, 5.25 Al Khan.

DOUBLE: Fox Appeal and Heaven’s Guest.