The 2024 Fighting Fifth Hurdle runners for this Saturday’s big Newcastle race are taking shape, with ‘big-guns’ Sir Gino and Mystical Power expected to go head-to-head for the £65k Grade One prize first.
Sir Gino Confirmed Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2024 Runner, As Chasing Plans Put On Hold
Nicky Henderson had been hoping to get his 2023 Champion Hurdler Constitution Hill back on the course in Saturday’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
However, the horse was ruled out of the Grade One last Friday after another training setback – which has made the Seven Barrows team re-think their attack.
Step forward SIR GINO, who had been expected to be making his chasing debut at Kempton this week, but having also held a ‘back-up’ entry in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2024 has been re-routed to the Newcastle race – with his horse racing chasing plans put on hold (for now).
Sir Gino is unbeaten over hurdles – having won all four starts – and despite missing the Cheltenham Festival last season made amends by winning the Boodles 4-Y-O Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree back in April – beating the Triumph Hurdle runner-up Kargese by an impressive 3 1/4 lengths (watch below).
The form of that win has since been franked with Kargese winning next time at Punchestown. While Sir Gino also impressed many in a racecourse gallop at Newbury last week – when seemingly having the upper hand over Constitution Hill.
As a result Sir Gino is expected to be the market leader for Saturday’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.
An impressive win here over hurdles and connections may well decide to keep him over hurdles for another season and ditch the chasing plans till 2025/26 – we’ll see.
Nicky Henderson Has Won The Fighting Fifth Hurdle EIGHT Times
No trainer has won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle more times than Nicky Henderson.
The Seven Barrows team have mopped up EIGHT wins in the Newcastle race over the years – showing their support and often targeting their best hurdlers at the prize each season.
Henderson’s first Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner was in 2001 with Landing Light – with his most recent Constitution Hill in 2022.
- Landing Light (2001)
- Punjabi (2008)
- My Tent Or Yours (2013)
- Buveur d’Air (2017, 2018)
- Epatante (2020, 2021 (2021 a dead heat))
- Constitution Hill (2022)
Mystical Power Expected To Be A Fighting Fifth Hurdle Runner, As Willie Mullins Eyes First Win In The Race
Owner JP McManus has won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle many times over the years – My Tent Or Yours, Buveur d’Air and Epatante – are some of the names that spring to mind, and he’ll be trying for another with his promising MYSTICAL POWER.
However, JP owns this Willie Mullins horse with John Magnier and Rich Ricci and it’s actually the last-named that has their turn this season to run the horse in their colours. Rich Ricci has never won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
It could also be a first for top Irish trainer Willie Mullins – as the Closutton handler is also yet to get his hands on the Fighting Fifth Hurdle trophy – but, in his defence, I’m not sure he’s had many runners. His last, as far as I can see, was Wicklow Brave (3rd) in 2015. While he also had Arctic Fire in 2014 (3rd).
Mystical Power has a great chance of breaking these ducks for Ricci and Mullins though. He was an excellent second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival in March and built on that with wins at Aintree and Punchestown.
He landed the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree (watch below) and the Champion Novices’ Hurdle – and heads here having won five of his six career starts.
Mystical Power is just behind Sir Gino in the market with the best betting sites in the UK – but only just. It looks a fascinating match up and solid cases can be bad for them both.
Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2024 Race Details
📅Date: Saturday 30th November 2024
⌚Time: 2:10pm
🏇Racecourse: Newcastle
🔄Trip: 2m
💷Winning Purse: £65,493
📺 TV: ITV / Sky Sports Racing
You can also watch SportsCasting’s Andy Newton on this week’s Final Furlong podcast.
Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2024 Runners
See below the current entries for Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2024 on Saturday 30th November.
However, as you can see, there are several names on here – like Brighterdaysahead, who was a top winner of the Morgiana Hurdle last weekend, plus Golden Ace, who was also in action last Saturday.
So, this race is expected to cut up as the week moves on – with the final Fighting Fifth Hurdle runners announced at around 11am on Thursday 28th November.
- Benson
- Brentford Hope
- Colonel Mustard
- Constitution Hill
- Horn Cape
- Kihavah
- Langer Dan
- Lump Sum
- Mystical Power
- Nemean Lion
- Nurburgring
- Salver
- Sir Gino
- Tellherthename
- Valgrand
- Brighterdaysahead
- Golden Ace
- Take No Chances
Note: The final entries for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle will be on Thursday 28th November 2024
Recent Fighting Fifth Hurdle Winners
- 2023 – Not So Sleepy
- 2022 – Constitution Hill
- 2021 – Epatante / Not So Sleepy
- 2020 – Epatante
- 2019 – Cornerstone Lad
Note: The 2023 Fighting Fifth Hurdle was staged at Sandown Park
