Epatante and Not So Sleepy dead-heat in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle

Voix du Reve led the field for most of the race, but he was quickly left behind on the approach to three out as Not So Sleepy (18/1) and Silver Streak took over at the head of affairs.

Last year's one-two Epatante (11/8 favourite) and Sceau Royal both travelled well in behind and that pair moved up to jump the last together with Not So Sleepy as Silver Streak gradually weakened out of contention.

It soon became a two-horse race as Epatante and Not So Sleepy became engaged in an enthralling battle on the run-in, with nothing to separate them at the line as the judge eventually called a dead-heat.

Sceau Royal was beaten a length and a half into third as the first three pulled clear of Silver Streak and the disappointing Monmiral, who was never travelling with any fluency.

Speaking from Newbury, Epatante's trainer Nicky Henderson said: “She has run a great race. From what I could see, her jumping was fantastic and that was her biggest weapon.

“That is what she had lost last year and she hurdled beautifully all the way and if she got up, we’d be grateful – we’ll take anything.

“It will be the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton next – no doubt about that.

“I know the plan. JP (McManus, owner) and I said Fighting Fifth and then Kempton, and then we’ll decide what we do after that. It is not going to stop me going to Kempton!”

Paddy Power trimmed Epatante to 10/1 from 14/1 to regain her Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March, while Not So Sleepy is a 50/1 shot.

Hughie Morrison was rightly proud of the performance of his stable star, saying: “What a horse. He won as a two-year-old on the Flat and here he is winning a Grade One coming into his 10th year.

“We’ve trained him basically for this race since he ran in the Chester Cup (in May), where I felt he had a huge amount of weight.

“We wisely didn’t run him in the Cesarewitch or the November Handicap because I felt he had too much weight and great credit to all involved.

“He’s quite a challenge at home. My head lad rides him at home all the time and he actually went on holiday yesterday.

“This summer the horse has turned the corner actually and Johnny gave him a brilliant ride today.

“It’s my first Grade One National Hunt winner, so I think we’ll have a bit of a celebration.

“I don’t know where we’ll go next. Kempton at Christmas might be a bit quick.”

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