Timeform Daily: Wbx.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle, Newcastle, 3.30

Race of the Day Preview / Timeform / 28 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Several possible winners to choose from in Newcastle's "Fighting Fifth Hurdle" makes us all the more lucky to have the Timeform team on hand to take us through the make-up of what should be an exciting race...

The Champion Hurdle picture looks sure to be shaken up once more by the latest running of the 'Fighting Fifth' Hurdle at Newcastle. Two of the last three winners of this race form part of a stellar line-up of eight which also includes 2007 Champion Hurdle victor Sublimity, and Punjabi, third behind Katchit in the latest renewal.

Arcalis: Former top novice who won this back in 2005, but never really established himself at the top level after that, his only subsequent success when dead-heating with Penzance in a minor event at Sandown in April 2007. Has been off the track since then with tendon trouble and, even though his stable has a good first-time-out record this season, he has plenty to prove.

Blue Bajan: Useful novice in 2007/8 who's sustained his improvement in handicaps since, winning the valuable Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May and doing remarkably well from a poor position when third to Sentry Duty at Ascot earlier this month. Represents an in-form stable and his sharp turn of foot could count for plenty if the ground dries out. Tends to get buzzed up beforehand and usually played late.

Harchibald: Has a well-earned reputation for finding little under pressure, but he's a winner of six graded events over hurdles, including two renewals of the Fighting Fifth, in 2004 and 2007, beating one of the strongest fields in recent memory last year when accounting for Al Eile (won two Grade 1 events afterwards) and Katchit. Has followed a similar path to the race this time with a run on all-weather at Dundalk and should be all the better for that.

Harper Valley: Strong-travelling sort who took the scalp of Franchoek in receipt of 7 lb in a juvenile at Cheltenham last December. Didn't win again and will need to brush up his jumping if he's to make any impact here.

Noble Alan: Progressive hurdler who has won three of his six starts. Showed further significant improvement when second to Font in a competitive novice handicap at Cheltenham last time, but this looks a big ask at this stage of his development.

Punjabi: High-class hurdler who still hasn't had much racing. Produced good efforts on three of his four starts last season, finishing placed in both the Totesport Trophy and Champion Hurdle (six lengths third to Katchit) prior to beating Sublimity by three lengths in Grade 1 at Punchestown. Stable couldn't be in better form, but it's a slight concern that he proved disappointing first time out last season and his price looks short enough.

Sublimity: Champion Hurdler of 2006/7, when showing a striking turn of foot to beat Brave Inca by three lengths. Failed to win in three runs last season, though shaped as if retaining all his ability and main question mark surrounds fitness (set to be his trainer's first runner).

Tazbar: Developed into a very useful novice hurdler last season when winning Grade 2 events at both two and three miles. He's undoubtedly better at the longer trip though, and two recent outings on the level have been uninspiring.

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View From The Course

Two horses to have caught the eye of Timeform's on-course reporters in the last few weeks are Reve de Sivola, an exciting hurdling prospect from Nick Williams' yard, and Steptoe, yet another runner from Nicky Henderson's team who looks sure to be winning races before long.

Reve de Sivola 3 b.g Assessor - Eva de Chalamont (Iron Duke)

As well as the most exciting novice hurdler seen so far in Britain this season in Diamond Harry, Nick Williams also has a promising juvenile on his hands in the shape of Reve de Sivola. Having been let down by his jumping at Chepstow last month, he was sent off in the Grade 2 Prestbury Juvenile Novices Hurdle on Saturday November 15th at 40/1. This time, held up early by jockey Daryl Jacob, Reve de Sivola jumped with much greater fluency, eventually coming through with a strong late run to take third behind winner Simarian, the current leader in the juvenile division.

Reve de Sivola came out better at the weights than second-placed R de Rien Sivola (who had been twenty-five lengths in front of him at Chepstow) and he looks sure to improve again. He would be sure to win a run-of-the-mill juvenile hurdle, and there is every chance he could continue to compete at graded level this season.

Steptoe 3 b.g Dark Moondancer - Cadoutene (Cadoudal)

Haydock's bumper on Saturday November 22nd, specifically for newcomers, featured several who showed inexperience before the race had even begun. Sweetaboutme was rowdy in the paddock and delayed the start by running loose to post, whilst Saveiro jinked as the tapes went up and unseated Brian Hughes. The race itself was run at a sedate pace, which made the performances of the first two home, Dare Me and Steptoe all the more notable.

The latter very much took the eye starting favourite, and he travelled just as well as Dare Me only to allow that rival first run in the straight. Although ultimately going down by three and a half lengths, Steptoe had shown a good turn of foot to put four lengths between himself and the remainder of the field, the main body of which finished in rather more of a heap. From a stable very much in form of late and half-brother to a hurdle winner over fifteen furlongs in France, Steptoe shouldn't have too much trouble in going one better.