RACING Old favourite to pay dividends

OLD GUARD can spearhead a fruitful day of action for Paul Nicholls at Fontwell.

The seven-year-old lines up in the totepool National Spirit Hurdle and a decent effort in this Grade Two event over two miles and three furlongs will surely see his price for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham contract.

Old Guard has certainly not been running badly this season, winning twice in six starts, including at Listed level at Kempton back in October.

However, he seems to be at his best when conditions are not too testing, so it was to his credit he managed to finish fourth behind Wholestone in the Relkeel at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when the heavy ground would have been far from ideal.

Nicholls has given him a little spell on the easy list since then and that rest should have him nicely refreshed for this return to better ground.

Incredibly versatile in terms of trip, Old Guard is favoured by the conditions of the race and can take full advantage.

Copain De Classe has all the hallmarks of another Ditcheat winner in the opening toteplacepot Josh Gifford Memorial Novices’ Chase.

He is another that has shown his best on a sound surface and has been limited to just one start so far this year, suffering a surprise defeat when only third at Ascot back in November.

However, the form of that has worked out well with winner Benatar subsequently scoring at Grade Two level while the second, Space Oddity, is actually in opposition again here.

He has not had much more luck in two subsequent outings and must concede a bit more weight again to the selection this time.

Unioniste can round out Nicholls’ treble in the totepool Betting At totesport.com Open Hunters’ Chase.