3 minute read
Nicky Henderson’s star could face up to twelve rivals in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth at Newcastle next month.
Unbeaten under rules, the champion of the hurdling division has recorded a staggering six-straight Grade 1 wins, including back-to-back Festival victories in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham before landing the Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles a month later.
There was much speculation about what route Nicky Henderson's six-year-old would take this season but with chasing plans firmly off the cards, all roads lead ahead to a defence of his Grade 1 Fighting Fifth crown at Newcastle on December 2.
"He'll go straight to the Fighting Fifth, that's December 2, hopefully, we're all ready for that," Henderson said on Racing TV.
Amongst his twelve possible rivals features fellow Cheltenham Festival scorer You Wear It Well, who stayed on strongly to make a winning seasonable reappearance in the Listed bet365 Mares' Hurdle at Wetherby last weekend.
However, although the Fighting Fifth remains an option, connections seem keen to follow the mares' programme throughout the season.
Trainer Jamie Snowden said: "She did really well [at Wetherby], she was carrying a penalty first time out and it's always nice to see them stepping up to the mark like that,"
"The mares' route maps itself out, from Sandown to Warwick to Cheltenham in March. Sandown is in January, so the question is whether we think about getting a run into her before then.
"I have just put an entry for the Fighting Fifth this morning, I'm not sure we'd want to be taking on Constitution Hill necessarily, but it doesn't hurt to put an entry in."
Dual-purpose performer Not So Sleepy, who forced a memorable dead-heat with Henderson's fellow Champion Hurdle winner Epatante in 2021, also features at the current entry stage, alongside Harry Fry's Grade 1-winning mare Love Envoi.
Kerry Lee has entered both Black Poppy and Nemean Lion, while the James Owen-trained Too Friendly is also in the mix with Alan King's eleven-year-old Sceau Royal.
Salsada and Voix Du Reve round out the entries.
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