December 09 / 13.15 Sandown

13.15

Soft

Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £45016
  • 1m 7f 216y
  • Class 1
  • 4 runners
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Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Hurdle Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain

40/1 (Won)

  • Win: £10.00

Form: 5/355- D

Last run: 270 days

W: 11st 10lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Showed useful Flat form this autumn despite his advancing years; dead-heated in this contest in 2021 but was a humble third behind Constitution Hill 12 months ago and even further behind that superstar in the Champion Hurdle; other youngsters in this field add to his vulnerability.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

3

(7)

21st Sep 2024

Good To Soft

1m 5f 61y

Class 2

14:05 Newbury

Not So Sleepy

9st 8lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Hughie Morrison

Magnificent veteran who has retained a rare zest, demonstrated last year with a front-running Flat win in this race (heavy; stays well) and a second triumph in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle; creditable fourth in his two runs back on the Flat this term, the latest at Epsom on Derby day (1m4f; finished strongly); respected on that and any significant rain over the last day or so will probably help.

14/1

4th

4

(2)

1st Jun 2024

Good To Soft

1m 4f 6y

Class 2

17:15 Epsom

Not So Sleepy

9st 7lb

J: Tom Marquand

T: Hughie Morrison

12yo who has retained a rare zest, demonstrated last year with a front-running Flat win at Newbury (1m5f, heavy; stays well) and a second triumph in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle; creditable fourth at Newbury (2m) on return to Flat six weeks ago, which he needs to build on; won at this meeting in 2017 and he is not one to pass over lightly seven years on.

20/1

Form: /1126- CD BF

Last run: 224 days

W: 11st 3lb

7 yo Mare

OR: 153

Form & Verdict
Picked up a stress fracture at Punchestown (soundly beaten) when last seen but has made a full recovery; has a solid/progressive record (at 2m-2m5f) otherwise and career record is 8-11; ran well behind Honeysuckle in a strong Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (soft) two starts ago; 3-3 at Sandown, including a win on this card last year; remains of major interest.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

7

12th Mar 2024

Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

16:10 Cheltenham

Love Envoi

11st 5lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Harry Fry

towards rear

12/1

2nd

5

27th Jan 2024

Good To Soft

2m 0f 179y

Class 1

15:00 Cheltenham

Love Envoi

11st 1lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Harry Fry

Raced mainly on soft/heavy (withdrawn due to good ground once); smart mare whose record is 8-12 and who performed very well (first/second) at the last two Cheltenham Festivals; may be back on song with Sandown reappearance under her belt; has the best chance at the weights.

3/1

2nd

5

9th Dec 2023

Soft

1m 7f 216y

Class 1

13:15 Sandown

Love Envoi

11st 3lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Harry Fry

Picked up a stress fracture at Punchestown (soundly beaten) when last seen but has made a full recovery; has a solid/progressive record (at 2m-2m5f) otherwise and career record is 8-11; ran well behind Honeysuckle in a strong Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival (soft) two starts ago; 3-3 at Sandown, including a win on this card last year; remains of major interest.

13/2

Form: 2115-1 C

Last run: 35 days

W: 11st 3lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 140

Form & Verdict
Front-runner; currently inferior to the other mare in this field, Love Envoi, on ratings but has shown steady improvement; bagged Grade 2 honours at this course (2m4f, good to soft) and the Cheltenham Festival (2m1f, soft) last season; reappearance win at Wetherby (2m Listed) shows she has returned in good form; should perform well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Warwick

You Wear It Well

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Jamie Snowden

Below her best this season but has been running over fences and chasing doesn't appear to suit; won two Grade 2 mares' novice hurdles in early 2023 (2m4f/2m1f, good to soft/soft) and second in a mares' Grade 2 last January (3m, good); could bounce back with big run now reverting to hurdles.

5/1

1

8th Feb 2025

Soft

2m 5f 0y

Class 1

14:40 Warwick

You Wear It Well

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: Jamie Snowden

Below her best this season but has been running over fences and chasing doesn't appear to suit; won two Grade 2 mares' novice hurdles in early 2023 (2m4f/2m1f, good to soft/soft) and second in a mares' Grade 2 last January (3m, good); could bounce back with big run now reverting to hurdles.

5/1

4th

4

17th Jan 2025

Soft

2m 0f 33y

Class 1

13:50 Windsor

You Wear It Well

10st 9lb

J: Gavin Sheehan

T: Jamie Snowden

raced in last, mistake 5th, mistake and struggling 7th, jumped left 3 out, never dangerous

4/1

33/1

Form: 2352-4 CD

Last run: 14 days

W: 11st 10lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 152

Form & Verdict
Smart but mercurial; has failed to show his form in two starts (Flat/hurdle) this autumn and therefore is far from certain to uphold his solid Sandown record, which currently reads 1112 (Flat/hurdles); return of cheekpieces (third attempt) needs to have positive effect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

13th

12

26th Apr 2025

Good

3m 4f 146y

Class 1

16:10 Sandown

Goshen

10st 2lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

5lb out of the handicap; 9yo whose career has contained plenty of surprises and performing so manfully in 3m handicap chases on good ground at Ascot and this track on his last two starts is arguably one of them; that's nowhere near his old hurdles form but he's been sticking on as if his next reinvention could be as a stayer.

40/1

3rd

1

8th Mar 2025

Good

3m 0f 37y

Class 3

15:35 Sandown

Goshen

11st 12lb

J: Niall Houlihan

T: Gary & Josh Moore

9yo who is somewhat mercurial but he's run pretty well in defeat the last twice here (2m7f, heavy; hurdles) and Ascot (3m, good; fences); goes well at Sandown and drops back down in grade today; could be involved.

5/1

Non-runners

Constitution Hill, Shishkin

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £23.30
Straight Forecast £22.60
Trifecta £27.80

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Constitution Hill

D Express:

You Wear It Well

WEST COUNTRY:

Love Envoi

LAMBOURN:

Shishkin

RP RATINGS:

Constitution Hill

TOPSPEED:

Constitution Hill

POSTDATA:

Constitution Hill

The Times:

Constitution Hill

Telegraph:

Constitution Hill

The Guardian:

Constitution Hill

Daily Mail:

Constitution Hill

Daily Mirror:

Constitution Hill

The Star:

Constitution Hill

Daily Record:

Constitution Hill