There may be no Constitution Hill at Newcastle races again, but the 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle has a Nicky Henderson super-sub in Sir Gino. The four-year-old tackles regally-bred Irish challenger Mystical Power and others in the first Grade 1 hurdles event of the UK jumps season on Saturday, 30 November at Gosforth Park.
Last term’s edition of the Fighting Fifth ended up transferred to Sandown Park with this meeting abandoned. No such worries exist now, though, and the first leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling attracts a decent field to Tyneside.
As the centrepiece of a seven-race card, supporting races include the Rehearsal Handicap Chase, The French Furze Novices’ Hurdle and a brand new long-distance steeplechase over 3m 6f. This hopefully creates a path for horses to the marathon Eider Chase run at Newcastle races in February.
Most of the leading horse racing betting sites see the 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle as a match between young pretenders Sir Gino and Mystical Power. The latter, a son of Galileo and Annie Power, represents an incredibly powerful conglomerate of racehorse owners.
Mystical Power carries the silks of Rich & Susannah Ricci this season, yet ran in the even more famous colours of JP McManus last term. The big race is a real graveyard for favourites, so let’s see what our horse racing experts make of the clash between two talented potential improvers, plus the rest of the card.
Newcastle Races Preview for 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle Day
11:53 – 2m 46y Class 2 Introductory Juvenile Hurdle
Next best is probably Harry Derham’s Irish import Viyanni who won his final start for Johnny Murtagh. Those with hurdling experience set no standard at all with Dan Skelton filly Global Hideaway shaping very much like she wanted further than the trip on her racecourse bow at Bangor.
Spartan Warrior only ran third around Musselburgh on Thursday, so Rebecca Menzies probably won’t turn him out so quickly. Jedd O’Keeffe has one in the Sam Spinner silks in Inappropriate after saddling winners across both codes in recent days.
12:28 – 2m 4f 19y Class 4 Handicap Chase (0-120)
Ann and Ian Hamilton’s nine-year-old has three solid enough placed efforts over hurdles around Gosforth Park from earlier in his career. Five Dollar Fine doesn’t seem to like Kelso, but fences here is something new for him following victories at Hexham and Carlisle.
Glory And Fortune ran second over course and distance off 4lb higher last November, so is feasibly handicapped on that run. Racing from 6lb below his last winning mark, Sam and Jonathan England’s runner has claims in a very trappy low grade contest for this occasion.
1:03 – 2m 6f Class 2 The French Furze Novices’ Hurdle
Given his 40/1 Northumberland Plate second at this venue on the All-Weather course, it’s amazing that connections found an opportunity for him to score over 2m around Ayr. A trip over hurdles is precisely what Evaluation wants. He is out of Queen Elizabeth II’s Ascot Gold Cup winning mare Estimate.
Irish raider Zanndabad is a six-race maiden in this sphere, but Tony Martin goes up in distance with the Chester Cup third now switching back to jumps. Kepler’s Law ran a big race when third on his Rules debut to Mister Meggit at Aintree for Laura Morgan and isn’t out if it either. Ellison pitches course bumper second Travis Wheatley first time over hurdles in here too.
1:35 – 3m 5f 190y Class 3 BetMGM Handicap Chase (0-135)
The Coltherds’ Breakdance Kid is a nominal early favourite with UK bookies who priced this event at Newcastle races up early. Russell surely has a much stronger hand in JEM IN EM and Destiny Is All, though. Fox prefers the former, a six-year-old stepping up to this marathon trip for the first time after staying on into fourth over 3m 2f around Kelso last time.
Jem In Em has youth on his side, whereas Destiny Is All is a stable veteran named for the catchphrase of Uhtred Ragnarson in The Last Kingdom TV and book series. Long-distance races are nothing new for him and Jack Power again takes the ride, plus 7lb off with his claim. The pair won at Ayr last time out with the handicapper only nudging the rating up slightly.
Topweight Jerrash also has claims for the Bowens after just failing to get up and land the Durham National around Sedgefield. The seven-year-old reversed Cartmel form with Tommie Beau (re-opposing Ilikedwayurthinkin in-behind too) last time. A 2lb higher mark won’t stop Jerrash having a say in the finish.
2:10 – 2m 46y Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle
Five-year-olds have a much better record, though, and the 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle can go to MYSTICAL POWER. Since finishing second in the Supreme during Cheltenham, he landed two Grade 1s in the spring reversing form with Slade Steel and the runner-up on both occasions looks destined for the top over fences.
Mystical Power is 2lb clear of Sir Gino on official ratings. If the big two in the market don’t fire, then Brentford Hope is next best on BHA figures. Derham’s runner could well face a stiff battle for third spot from Lump Sum, however. He won the Welsh Champion Hurdle for Sam Thomas and Dylan Johnston.
While this demands more, Lump Sum could still have further progress in him. Colonel Mustard should be in the minor money as he so often is for Lorna Fowler, but just cannot seem to win. Take No Chances receives weight all-round, but Dan Skelton’s mare is in very deep water here, as are the remainder of the field.
2:45 – 2m 46y Class National Hunt Maiden Hurdle
Plenty in with chances in a more interesting than average maiden. Danny Brooke filly WENDYWILLDO came out of a strong Catterick bumper and won a similar race around Sedgefield. The three home in front of her in North Yorkshire have hurdle ratings of 125, 125 and 166 after all winning in this sphere.
Not only that, but Wendywilldo heads to Newcastle races knowing she had Gale Mahler in-behind her in County Durham. That one won her next six starts including a Listed event during the Galway Festival and placed in Grade 2 Cheltenham trials this autumn. Blackwater Lily has collateral form with a mares’ handicap hurdle winner at Ascot last weekend.
Nick Alexander inmate Governnec can only improve for his hurdles debut third behind Evaluation around Ayr. The Irish Points that Small Town Kid ran in worked out reasonably well, meanwhile, so that augurs well for his Rules and stable debut for James Ewart. Similar comments apply to Derham’s new recruit Jus De Citron from the same field.
3:20 – 2m 7f 91y Rehearsal Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Up just 4lb and likely to come on for his reappearance, Alexander’s Donny Boy is a bet to go one better than when beaten a head over course and distance at Newcastle races in December. The handicapper has left his old rival Marble Sands alone for winning the Colin Parker at Carlisle on reappearance, so him defying topweight is possible.
Few other make any real appeal. Bottom weight Gustavian doesn’t have to race from out of the handicap for Anthony Honeyball like when third in the Badger Beer at Wincanton. Chepstow winner and Sodexo Gold Cup third Neon Moon could’ve run at Newbury, but comes here instead for David Pipe. Ellison’s Eider winner Anglers Crag can’t be totally discounted even over this mile sharper trip.
