The dual Champion Hurdle winner will line up at Newcastle against two more Grade One winners at the last Cheltenham Festival, including potential superstar Samcro
Nicky Henderson has been immersed in jumps racing for almost half a century, but he still struggles to think of a better race over hurdles at this stage of the season than the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday. Buveur D’Air, his dual Champion Hurdle winner, will line up against two more Grade One winners at the last Cheltenham Festival including Samcro, a potential superstar but one with a slightly dented reputation. Bedrock, the horse who dented it, is in the field too.
“This will be as big a test as Buveur D’Air has faced anywhere,” Henderson says, “and it is first time out.”
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The “Ladbrokes Winter Carnival” is a rather grand title for a two-day meeting that used to be run over three, but there can be few complaints about the quality and depth of the opening afternoon at Newbury on Friday, which arguably has more to hold the attention of the jumping purist than Saturday’s main card, featuring the race formerly known as the Hennessy. Terrestrial TV viewers also get the chance to watch the action on ITV4.
Southwell: 11.20 Honey GG, 11.50 Novabridge, 12.25 Restive, 1.00 Victoria Drummond, 1.30 First Excel, 2.05 Stanley, 2.40 Earl Of Bunnacurry, 3.15 Boots And Spurs.
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