Events / Malcolm Pannett / 23 November 2009 / Leave a comment

The Fighting Fifth is one of the pre-eminent Champion Hurdle Trials throwing up several winners and numerous placed horses in the 1970s and 1980s during the period dubbed the Golden Age of Hurdling. As recently as last year the Fighting Fifth returned to form with winner Punjabi following up at Prestbury Park. Malcolm Pannett investigates...

"The French Furze finished second three years-in-a-row before finally winning at the fourth attempt. Fifth the following year Nicky Richards’ stalwart made the frame twice more before retiring after being pulled up in 2007 having run in the Fighting Fifth eight consecutive times"

Started in 1969 the first race went to Scottish Champion Hurdle-winner Mugtapura who beat six rivals to land the spoils for trainer Fulke Walwyn. Triple Champion Hurdler Persian War was sent off favourite for the second running but could only manage fourth place behind Fred Rimell's Inishmaan who was partnered by Terry Biddlecombe

Two years later Rimell's hurdling superstar Comedy Of Errors (1972 to 1974) started his run of three wins. The son of Goldhill remains the only horse to regain the Champion Hurdle having lost out to Lanzarote in between. The clashed

Comedy Of Errors was then beaten by Night Nurse in the 1975 Fighting Fifth. Night Nurse, who went on to win two Champion Hurdles, was in turn beaten into second the following year behind one of the best horses never to win the Champion Hurdle namely Bird's Nest. Bob Turnell's charge confirmed the form with Night Nurse the following year but then found Sea Pigeon too good in 1978.

Bird's Nest was first past the post the next two years each time beating Sea Pigeon and appeared to have surpassed Comedy Of Errors' record. However on the latter occasion he had hung to the right on the run-in and after an inquiry the Stewards awarded the race to Sea Pigeon who became the third horse to win the race more than once. Since then Floyd (1987 and 1988), Dato Star (1998 and 1999) (see below) and Harchibald (2004 and 2007) (see below) have done the same.

The Golden Age was coming to an end in 1981 as although Bird's Nest beat Sea Pigeon again this time it was for fourth place behind the ill-fated Ekbalco, Triumph Hurdle-winner Pollardstown and Gaye Brief.

The latter returned to win the 1983 renewal as reigning Champion Hurdler but the race was marred by the death of former -winner Ekbalco who fell at the second last flight. Browne's Gazette (1984) (see below) won the next year but like Ekbalco he met an untimely end in the Fighting Fifth. The son of London Gazette who had become more famous for the race he didn't win (the 1985 Champion Hurdle where by one way or another he lost all chance at the start) rather than his long list of triumphs, collapsed and died in the early stages of the race won by Out Of The Gloom (1985).

Other notable winners include; Kribensis (1989) dual Christmas Hurdle-winner who went on to win that season's Champion Hurdle; Beech Road (1990) who had famously won the Champion Hurdle two seasons before after recovering from a bad fall in a steeplechase; Royal Derbi (1991) second to Granville Again in the 1993 Champion Hurdle with 1992 Fighting Fifth-winner Halkopous in third; Space Trucker (1996) third behind Make A Stand in the 1997 Champion Hurdler; Barton (2000) the winner of the RSA Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival as well as the Aintree Hurdle; Landing Light (2001) who emulated Tom Sharp (1986) by adding the Fighting Fifth to victory in the Cesarewitch; Intersky Falcon (2003) dual Christmas Hurdle-winner and third to Hardy Eustace in the 2004 Champion Hurdle; and Arcalis (2005) the previous season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle-winner.

A special mention goes to The French Furze (2003) who finished second three years-in-a-row before finally winning at the fourth attempt. Fifth the following year Nicky Richards' stalwart made the frame twice more before retiring after being pulled up in 2007 having run in the Fighting Fifth eight consecutive times.

The name of the race commemorates the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, an infantry regiment that was amalgamated, along with three others, into the Royal Regiment of Fusliers in 1968.

Previously known as the 5th (Northumberland) Regiment of Foot they were nicknamed the Fighting Fifth after playing a major part in winning the Peninsula War battle of El Boden (1811) where the allies were outnumbered approximately two to one by the French.

The 1993 race was abandoned due to fog

25 years ago - The previous season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle-winner Browne's Gazette, in the hands of Declan Browne, notched up his first success of the new season. Monica Dickinson's charge reversed placings with Ballydurrow, who had beaten him in the Ekbalco Hurdle two weeks before, winning by six lengths with a distance back to third-placed Alten Glazed. Browne's Gazette went on to win the Bula, at the expense of Gaye Brief, as well as the Christmas Hurdle, beating Desert Orchid and See You Then, before the Cheltenham debacle (see above).

10 years ago - Former Champion Bumper-winner Dato Star, won for the second time beating Shooting Light by seven lengths after Crazy Horse took a tumble at the penultimate flight. The apple of Malcolm Jefferson's eye, who hadn't been seen since finishing lame in the Christmas Hurdle 11 months before, made all the running from the second obstacle after Caulker, who had led until then, made a jumping error. The son of accordion went on to complete a hat-trick landing the Christmas Hurdle and the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial.

Five years ago - The enigmatic Harchibald got the better of the redoubtable Inglis Drever. The latter led until the last where Paul Carberry produced the son of Perugino on the bridle to zip away to record a two-length triumph with Royal Shakespeare a similar distance back in third. The main protagonists both made their mark at the Cheltenham Festival with Inglis Drever winning the first of what would be three World Hurdles while Harchibald just missed out in the Champion Hurdle failing to pass Hardy Eustace in the closing stages in a much debated finish. Harchibald returned to Newcastle in 2007 to win a second Fighting Fifth beating fellow Irish-raider Al Eile with subsequent Champion Hurdle-winner Katchit in third.

Last year - Dual Punchestown Festival-winner Punjabi won the rescheduled Fighting Fifth beating former Champion Hurdler Sublimity after a terrific battle. Punjabi took the lead from Beau Michael at the second from home but was in turn passed by Sublimity at the last, however the son of Komaite battled back gamely prevailing by a head. Wetherby staged the race after Newcastle's meeting was lost to bad weather. Punjabi recovered from a bad fall in the Christmas Hurdle to win the Champion Hurdle.

Tags: Bird's Nest, Browne's Gazette, Comedy Of Errors, Inishmaan, Mugtapura, Night Nurse, Punjabi, Sea Pigeon, The French Furze