Newcastle racecourse host their sole Grade 1 contest, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle (16h10) on Saturday afternoon. One of the most prestigious hurdle races in the horse racing calendar, the race run over two miles has attracted six runners, including Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill.
Newcastle hosts the Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday (Pic – Facebook – Newcastle Racecourse)
The brilliant winner of last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle missed his intended return at Ascot last weekend due to quick ground but could be switched to the Grade 1 at Newcastle as the track conditions are currently recorded as soft. Constitution Hill has been kept in contention, although his trainer Nicky Henderson is also represented with two-time winner, the 8-year-old mare Epatante.
Epatante was a dominant winner of the Fighting Fifth in 2020, and last year in the sleet she dead-heated with Not So Sleepy, who is among the six runners kept in at Monday’s confirmation stage. Epatante, a multiple Group 1 heroine, is top-class over 2 miles and if she is the sole representative for the Seven Barrows yard, she should be hard to beat getting weight all round.
Top Irish 4-year-old Pied Piper, Tommy’s Oscar and Voix Du Reve are the others who could be involved. With last weekend’s Haydock Betfair winner Protektorat withdrawn, Fanion D’Estruval now heads the weights for the £250,000 Coral Gold Cup (17h05), Newbury’s feature race on Saturday.
The steeplechase is run over 3miles and 2 furlongs with 19 declared on Monday.
Keith Ottesen, Clerk of the Course for Newbury Racecourse said: “The Going is currently Good. There are a few bands of rain coming through and we will water behind this as required to maintain Good ground.”
Ante-post favourites at 6/1, Corach Rambler for Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell and David Pipe’s Remastered remain in contention, as does last year’s runner-up Fidderlontheroof, one of three possibles for trainer Joe Tizzard.
Corach Rambler has convinced connections that he is ready to defy history and deliver Scotland’s first victory in 43 years in Newbury’s weekend feature. Winner of a Group 3 chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season in March, he made a satisfactory seasonal return at Carlisle, over a trip short of his best, last month.
“It wasn’t his distance at Carlisle, but he ran well,” said Scudamore, Russell’s partner. “I was pleased with the way he jumped. He probably ran to about the same level as he did when we ran him over two and a half miles on his first start last year.”
“I didn’t want him to get a penalty. I wanted him to do his best and if he won, he won. Historically, previous season’s novices have run well in this race. Whether he is good enough, I don’t know, but he has the right profile and he has a decent weight.”
Remastered, a 9-year-old gelding from the in-form David Pipe stable is the other joint favourite and he comes into the contest carrying only 10 stone 10. He arrives on the back of an easy 4 length victory at Aintree earlier this month. With a light weigh, this game front-runner is going to be hard to catch on Saturday afternoon.
