Adam Williams presents his prediction for the Newcastle BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m, 4yo+) horse racing event.
Sir Gino had a flawless last season, clinching victory in all three of his starts. He skipped Cheltenham but triumphed at Aintree in the Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle. Currently, he's even money, which seems fair, so we’ll be backing him.
Irish raider Mystical Power has had six career starts. Although he got a late start, he enjoyed an excellent season with five wins and one second-place finish. He stumbled in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, finishing a length behind Slade Steel, but bounced back with wins at Aintree and Punchestown. We’re expecting a showdown with Sir Gino.
Brentford Hope kicked off the season with a second-place finish in a 3-runner race at Wincanton. Last season, he performed well over shorter hurdles. He missed the Cheltenham and Aintree meetings and secured a second place in a listed race at Punchestown. He’ll need to dig deep in this field.
Salver secured four consecutive wins last season, including the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) at Chepstow. He showed strong form at Cheltenham in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, finishing third on a challenging track.
Lump Sum started the season impressively with a victory in the Welsh Champion Hurdle, creating a double with Steel Ally for his trainer and owner. He had a solid last season, winning three starts, including the Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2) at Kempton. However, he fell short at Aintree in the Top Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1), finishing fifth out of six after an error. He appears underrated.
