2014 FIGHTING FIFTH HURDLE BETTING PREVIEW PT 1

We’ve got a good betting race shaping up at Newcastle on Saturday in this year’s iteration of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle - one of the big early season preps over the smaller fences. Many here will be looking to make declarations about their intentions come festival time and you can bank on a really interesting contest here as we have two extremely talented jumpers taking most of the early money but a few interesting contenders on the outside who might be able to make their presence known. 

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Irving, doubtlessly, comes into the race with much more to prove as he fell in his seasonal debut this year and will be looking to get things back on track here. It was pure pain for the punters who backed him into favouritism at 6/4 when he fell at the last obstacle when he was just beginning to mount his challenge, many believe he would have blown by Purple Bay at that point but was unable to get the job done. 

It was tough for Irving supporters at festival time last year as he was sent off joint favourite at 7/2 only to finish mid-pack - a disappointing ninth of eighteen contenders. Vautour was able to get the better of the race there but you can sympathize with those who backed Irving as he had mounted a flawless hurdles campaign that year - coming into Cheltenham undefeated. 

The fall at Wincanton likely did his price here some good and you’ll find him trading with most major bookmakers at a general 7/4. 

Sign of Victory, coming out of Nicky Henderson’s yard, is the key challenger here with a listing hovering between 15/8 and 2/1 depending on whom you’re wagering with. There is a lot to like about his chances here and he was able to get his season off to a solid start when he captured a listed race at Ascot to win by a half-length margin over the likes of Dawalan. 

Sent off as the 15/8 favourite on the day, he put together an impressive performance as he was still on the bridle when he was able to cruise home. Admittedly, he is taking a significant step up here as he was campaigned in relatively cheap races last year - even though he did win most of them.