2025 Fighting Fifth Hurdle: Race analysis and preview 

The 2025/26 national hunt season is now well underway, with the Fighting Fifth Hurdle soon to welcome the presence of racing’s elite. 

Due off at 14:00 on Saturday, November 29, the race is contested by prestigious hurdlers hailing from some of racing’s most renowned yards. 

Just over two miles of Gosforth Park awaits runners looking to win Newcastle’s showpiece national hunt race, in which nine flights of hurdles will be jumped. 

A star-studded line-up is set to contest the race that will see around £120,000 awarded in prize money. 

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Constitution Hill

2022 and subsequent 2023 Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill will make his dramatic return to racing following an injury-plagued absence. 

Trainer Nicky Henderson’s horse hasn’t raced since he finished a distant fifth at Punchestown in the Boodles Champion Hurdle, back in May. 

It was the last of five runs in a season that he began by defending his Christmas Hurdle title, before back-to-back falls preceded his lacklusture effort in Ireland. 

The Michael Buckley-owned eight-year-old underwent a racecourse gallop at Newbury last week, after which Henderson said: “He’s been in good form all the way through, and it’s nice to be able to come out and show the world that gallop. 

“If that were a race, I’d be about as confident as I could ever be about a horse.

“I really was pretty certain this would go according to plan, as everything’s been straightforward.

“He’s going to be no fitter or forwards or backwards than when he won it three years ago. 

“We’re well up to where we were for the Christmas Hurdle, though, or maybe a bit better. 

“This will have brought him on. He’s got to have a school and a bit of work on Sunday and Monday, and that’ll be that.”

The New Lion

Constitution Hill had been as big as 10/1 for the Fighting Fifth, though he now trades at 6/4, with only trainer Dan Skelton’s The New Lion ahead of him in the betting. 

Renowned owner JP McManus purchased the then five-year-old gelding following a win at Newbury, on this weekend last season. 

It was the third win in as many career races that he had ran in, before going on to win consecutive Novice Grade Ones – including the Supreme Hurdle. 

He is set to play a leading role in proceedings for a trainer that is bang in-form and leads the British Trainers’ Championship standings. 

Back in September, Skelton said: “He’ll start in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and hopefully we’ll go down the Champion Hurdle route.

“We’ll be doing things we’re really happy with only for the right reasons.

“I won’t set out a path now – we want to start in the Fighting Fifth if the ground is all right and we want to end up in the Champion Hurdle.”

He added: “There isn’t a ceiling at the moment – he’s got the opportunity to take it wherever he can go. 

“He’s done everything we’ve asked, he stays well, he handles Cheltenham. 

“He’s potentially the best I’ve trained, but what makes great horses is their longevity, which is never a given.”

Anzadam

The six-year-old heads the market at 6/4, but the two aforementioned British-trained horses are set to face Anzadam – an unexposed Irish raider. 

Following two wins from two runs in France, the then three-year-old made the switch to Willie Mullins’ stable, where he boasts the same record. 

He started life under Mullins by winning a Grade Three race at Fairyhouse, on this weekend last year, before winning a race of the same standard at Naas. 

Anzadam will hope to carry the colours of owners Joe and Marie Donnelly to back-to-back victories in this race, after Sir Gino stormed to victory – for Henderson – last season.  

Much like his British-based ownermate, this race likely wasn’t the first choice contest in which his trainer would run him in. 

Last year, Henderson sent Sir Gino up to the North East after Constitution Hill suffered a setback that saw him miss his intended return to action. 

This year, Mullins was due to send State Man – also owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly – over the Irish Sea, with Anzadam representing his stable in the Morgiana Hurdle, which ran last weekend. 

Anzadam’s absence at Punchestown paved the way for stablemate and iconic mare Lossiemouth to make a winning seasonal return. 

Mullins spoke of Anzadam’s prospects at a press morning, saying: “Anzadam looks to have enough potential to be sent down the Champion Hurdle route.

“He has the ability, he has the engine, just sometimes his training schedule gets interrupted.”

Kargese

Anzadam (3/1) is one of two Mullins representatives shorter than 20/1 in the betting, with mare Kargese next at 10/1. 

She was last seen finishing third to State Man in the race that saw Constitution Hill finish a never nearer fifth. 

That run ended a season that saw her claim victory in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, her only win in three runs last season. 

Her form before that is highlighted by placed efforts behind Majborough and Sir Gino, as well two Grade One wins in Ireland. 

Golden Ace was fortunate to win the Champion Hurdle; Constitution Hill fell midway through the race, and the eventual winner was left out in front after Sir Gino came to grief at the final-flight. 

She placed second in the aforementioned Boodles Champion Hurdle, but her seasonal reappearance was underwhelming, as she was defeated by 28 lengths in a two-runner race. 

Priced at 14/1, she’s the only other horse given a chance by the market, with Burdett Road and Celtic Dino next in the better – at 25/1. 

READ MORE: Punchestown Premiere Weekend 2025: Morgiana Hurdle race analysis and preview