Fast Results

Scores

14:10 Newcastle

Saturday 2 December 2017

All11:5512:3013:0513:4014:1014:4515:20

Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:13 | Winning time: 4m 10.12s

1^st

Buveur D'Air

611-7

1/5f

T: N J HendersonJ: B J Geraghty

Tracked leaders in 3rd place, went 2nd from 6 out, led on bit 3 out, readily drew clear before last, hard held op 2/11

2^nd

3 ½

Irving

911-7

9/2

T: P F NichollsJ: S Bowen

In touch in 4th place, in rear from 7 out, headway before 3 out, kept on to take 2nd place towards finish, no chance with winner

3^rd

Flying Tiger

411-7

16/1

T: Nick WilliamsJ: T Scudamore

In rear and in touch, challenged 2 out, ridden before last, no extra and lost 2nd place towards finish op 12/1

4^th

Katgary

711-7

66/1

T: Miss P RobsonJ: Craig Nichol

Tracked leader, led 7 out, headed 3 out, weakened from 2 out

5^th

Mirsaale

711-7

50/1

T: K DalgleishJ: Callum Bewley

Led to 7 out, pushed along and outpaced before 4 out, ridden before 3 out, soon weakened op 50/1

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£1.10Pl:£1.10, £1.50EX:£2.00Trifecta:£3.50SF:£1.95

Forecasts

Buveur D'Air (1/5), Irving (9/2), Flying Tiger (16/1), Mirsaale (50/1), Katgary (66/1)

The Road To Cheltenham commences up in the North East at Newcastle for the reigning Champion Hurdler BUVEUR D'AIR, and despite encountering ground which is possibly softer than ideal on his seasonal reappearance, he stands head and shoulders above these rivals, and looks set for a relatively straightforward success. His trainer Nicky Henderson saddled the winner of this race in 2001 (Landing Light), 2008 (Punjabi), and 2013 (My Tent Or Yours), and further success will see him equal the record of Fred Rimell (saddled winners in 1970, 1972, 1973 and 1974). Irving has his first start since a wind operation, and a third success in this contest will place him alongside the hurdling greats Comedy Or Errors and Birds Nest (both three time winners in the 1970's), but the young pretender Flying Tiger offers some each-way value at the projected odds, and is taken to follow Buveur D'Air home.