LORD RELIC, away from the public eye since New Year's Eve 1994, can reward the faith of his owner - and hard work of his trainer - by defying top weight in the £35,000 added Tote Eider Chase at Newcastle today.

It was when pulled up in the rerouted Coral Welsh National at Newbury on the eve of his ninth birthday that the bay fractured a pastern which has kept him off the course since.

Prior to that, however, he had shown very useful form in a handful of outings over fences, and he should prove well suited by today's four mile trip.

A falter on his first start of last season, he then produced a fine effort to finish two lengths second to One Man in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

In view of the progress made, subsequently by Gordon Richards grey - now a short priced favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup - that was a fine achievement, as was his third to the ill fated Raymylette in the Betterware Cup at Ascot.

A reproduction of either one of those performances would see Lord Relic go close here, and the fact that he may improve again under the prevailing conditions - a marathon trip and easy ground - strengthens his case further.

Newcastle managing director Stan Clarke, whose wife owns the 10 year old, has not been successful in business by persisting with lost causes, and trainer Martin Pipe has no equal when it comes to defying the adage about horses never coming back.

Racing's history shelves contain a good many animals who have come back from injury to thrive under Pipe's guiding hand, and Lord Relic is napped to make a successful return.

Jenny Pitman, who took this race 12 months ago with Willsford, runs Superior Finish.

This 10 year old consented to produce a storming late run to beat Sibton Abbey by two lengths in the Anthony Mildmay, Peter Cazalet Memorial Handicap Chase at Sandown and will make the selection work hard if in the mood.

The Last Fling is proving a very useful recruit to hurdling for Sue Smith's Bingley yard, suffering defeat just once in six outings over timber. He looks ready for win, number six in the Newcastle Building Society Handicap Hurdle.

Having taken novice hurdles at Bangor, Chepstow and Kelso, he was no match for Oliver Sherwood's Father Sky at Uttoxeter but slipped neatly back into handicap company to win at Haydock and over three miles here.

The way he disposed of Zamhareer by five lengths on his most recent start marked him as a horse to keep in the right side, and The Last Fling is taken to win again.

At Chepstow, Nigel Twiston Davies' progressive Wisley Wonder can complete a five timer in the opening Persian War Premier Novices' Hurdle.