The Scotsman

Guest looks to be heaven sent

● Fahey charge can follow up his recent Newcastle victory

- By GLENDALE

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 now 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.

After letting down his supporters on his penultimat­e start, Corinthia Knight got back on track in some style, overcoming trouble in running to employ a swift change of gear and win by a length and a quarter in another fast track qualifier at Kempton. With his place on Good Friday’s Finals Day already in the bag, Corinthia Knight can continue his prep with another win here.

Watersmeet is also due to feature at the Easter showpiece meeting after winning a fast track qualifier for the stayers’ division last month.

A neck winner on that occasion, he has since struck gold again in a rather uncompetit­ive conditions heat at Lingfield at the start of the month.

Mark Johnston turns him out again in the 32Red Conditions Stakes at Kempton and given he has upwards of 5lb in hand on each of his rivals, Watersmeet should really be winning again.

Some familiar names will be on show at Doncaster and Fox Appeal is the pick in the Polypipe Veterans’ Handicap Chase.

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 he 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 though, so back on good conditions and off his lowest mark for a fair while, Lavelle’s runner holds plenty of appeal.

Pacha Du Polder is another runner who needs no introducti­on and he can get his season off to a flyer in the 1st Security Solutions Open Hunters’ Chase.

A narrow winner of the Cheltenham Foxhunter, he went on to finish fourth in the Aintree equivalent and seemingly kicks off on his road back to the Festival here. Paul Nicholls produced the 11-year-old in winning trim last term and there is no reason to think he cannot do so again.

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