BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 14:07 | Winning time: 3m 57.5s

Bleu Et Rouge²¹⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-7| J: W T Kennedy| T: B Haslam| OR: 152| D

100/1

With Willie Mullins when finishing runner-up to Kalashnikov in the Betfair Hurdle (Grade 3) at Newbury in February but ended last season below par and looks to be out of his depth here on debut for Ben Haslam; in the same ownership as Buveur D'Air.

Form: 042049-

Buveur D'Air²⁶³

11/8

Facile Fighting Fifth winner in 2017; crowned another unbeaten NH season when gamely landing a second straight Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March; had minor wind surgery over the summer & defends following a recent racecourse gallop at Newbury.

Form: 11/1111-

Samcro²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 160| BF| D

6/5

Outstanding novice, winner of the 2m5f Grade 1 Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival in March; his unbeaten record ended when falling at Punchestown in April but more surprisingly was beaten by Bedrock (by 1½L) on seasonal reappearance at Down Royal.

Form: 1111F-2

Summerville Boy²⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: N D Fehily| T: T R George| OR: 156| D

6/1

Massively progressive in the second half of the 2017/18 campaign, winning the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown (2m, heavy) in January before staying on strongly up the Cheltenham hill to take the Supreme Novices' by a neck; seasonal reappearance.

Form: 122311-

Vision Des Flos^t²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-7| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150| D

14/1

Finished approx 10L behind Samcro in the 2m5f Grade 1 Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival in March before running creditable races at both Aintree and Punchestown (2m); chasing campaign aborted and faces a tough task on these disadvantageous terms.

Form: 1622-U2

Non-Runners

Bedrock²⁹

Weight: 11-7| Age: 5

T: I Jardine J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Samcro (6/5), Buveur D'Air (11/8), Summerville Boy (6/1), Vision Des Flos (14/1), Bedrock (14/1), Bleu Et Rouge (100/1)

A race billed as one of the strongest Fighting Fifth's in a generation, so let's hope the action doesn't disappoint. Samcro took just about all before him during an exceptional novice season but is on a retrieval mission following setbacks at Punchestown and Down Royal. His nemesis Bedrock had the advantage of race-fitness when landing the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal and this more galloping track should play to the strengths of the Gordon Elliott-trained runner. Supreme Novices' winner Summerville Boy kicks-off his season in at the deep end of the pool, so all things considered the safest advice is to stick with the brilliant reigning Champion Hurdler BUVEUR D'AIR.