The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt

National Hunt racing

National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...

 hurdle race

Hurdling (horse race)

A Hurdle race in England is a National Hunt horse race where the horses jump over obstacles called hurdles that are over three and a half feet high. They are typically made of brush, that has some flexability. Hurdle races always have a minimum of eight hurdles and a minimum distance of two miles ....

 in Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 which is open to horses

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 aged four years or older. It is run at Newcastle

Newcastle Racecourse

Newcastle Racecourse is a horse racing course located at Gosforth Park near Newcastle upon Tyne in England. It stages both flat and National Hunt racing, with its biggest meeting being the Northumberland Plate held annually in June.-History:...

 over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year in late November or early December and is managed by Northern Racing Ltd.

History

The event was established in 1969, and the inaugural running was won by Mugatpura. Its title refers to the "Fighting Fifth", the nickname of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally raised in 1674, the regiment was amalgamated with three other fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.-Origins:...

. In the year prior to the race's launch, the regiment (formerly known as the 5th Regiment of Foot) was amalgamated with three others to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on April 23, 1968, as part of the reforms of the army that saw the creation of the first 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English fusilier...

.

There were two triple winners of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle during the 1970s: Comedy of Errors

Comedy of Errors (horse)

Comedy of Errors was a champion British racehorse of the 1970s, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975, and finishing second in 1974. He was trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Bill Smith and Ken White. The horse was the first to regain British hurdling's top prize....

 and Bird's Nest. The latter also finished first in 1980 but after a stewards' inquiry he was relegated to second place behind Sea Pigeon

Sea Pigeon

Sea Pigeon was a racehorse who excelled in both National Hunt and flat racing.As a son of the great Derby winner Sea Bird II, Sea Pigeon was bred to be a high class horse on the flat, but his efforts as a three-year-old were slightly lacklustre - trained by Jeremy Tree, he ran in the 1973 Epsom...

.

The Fighting Fifth Hurdle was formerly classed at Grade 2 level, and for a brief spell in the 1990s it was run as a limited handicap. Its past sponsors have included Bellway Homes

Bellway

Bellway plc is a major British residential property developer based in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.- History :...

, Newcastle Building Society

Newcastle Building Society

The Newcastle Building Society is a UK building society that has its head office in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is a member of the Building Societies Association.-History:...

 and Pertemps. It was promoted to Grade 1 status in 2004, and it is now the first top-grade hurdle race of the British National Hunt season.

The online sportbook StanJames.com took over the sponsorship of the Fighting Fifth in 2010. The Fighting Fifth is the first leg in the Road to Cheltenham

Road to Cheltenham

The Road to Cheltenham is a series of four British top-class horse races over hurdles, culminating in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival...

, a Stan James sponsored series of races which includes the International Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Champion Hurdle Trial

Champion Hurdle Trial

The StanJames.com Champion Hurdle Trial is a Grade 2 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. From 2011, the race will be sponsored by the online sportsbook StanJames.com. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of about 2 miles and 110 yards ,...

 at Haydock, and culminates in the Champion Hurdle

Champion Hurdle

The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...

 at the Cheltenham Festival

Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...

.

Records

Most successful horse (3 wins):

• Comedy of Errors
  Comedy of Errors (horse)
  Comedy of Errors was a champion British racehorse of the 1970s, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975, and finishing second in 1974. He was trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Bill Smith and Ken White. The horse was the first to regain British hurdling's top prize....
  
   – 1972, 1973, 1974
• Bird's Nest – 1976, 1977, 1979

----
Leading jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 (2 wins):

• Bill Smith – Comedy of Errors (1972, 1973)
• Andrew Turnell – Bird's Nest (1977, 1979)
• Richard Guest – Beech Road (1990), Padre Mio (1995)
• Lorcan Wyer – Dato Star (1998, 1999)
• Tony Dobbin
  Tony Dobbin
  Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...
  
   – Barton (2000), Arcalis (2005)
• Paul Carberry
  Paul Carberry
  Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...
  
   – Harchibald (2004, 2007)

----
Leading trainer

Horse trainer

In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

 (4 wins):

• Fred Rimell – Inishmaan (1970), Comedy of Errors (1972, 1973, 1974)

Winners

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer
1969	Mugatpura	6	Willie Robinson	Fulke Walwyn Fulke Walwyn Fulke Thomas Tyndall Walwyn was a British jockey and racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He was born in Wrexham and died in Newbury.He was educated at Malvern College....
1970	Inishmaan	4	Terry Biddlecombe Terry Biddlecombe Terry Biddlecombe was an English National Hunt racing jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. He was Champion Jockey in 1965, 1966 and 1969.-Career:...	Fred Rimell
1971	Dondieu	6	Brian Fletcher Brian Fletcher Brian Fletcher is an English Jockey notable for riding the horse Red Rum to win the Grand National in 1973 and 1974 and for second place in 1975. He first won the Grand National at the age of 19, in 1968 riding Red Alligator. He retired in 1976 with head injury...	Denys Smith
1972	Comedy of Errors Comedy of Errors (horse) Comedy of Errors was a champion British racehorse of the 1970s, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975, and finishing second in 1974. He was trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Bill Smith and Ken White. The horse was the first to regain British hurdling's top prize....	5	Bill Smith	Fred Rimell
1973	Comedy of Errors Comedy of Errors (horse) Comedy of Errors was a champion British racehorse of the 1970s, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975, and finishing second in 1974. He was trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Bill Smith and Ken White. The horse was the first to regain British hurdling's top prize....	6	Bill Smith	Fred Rimell
1974	Comedy of Errors Comedy of Errors (horse) Comedy of Errors was a champion British racehorse of the 1970s, winning the Champion Hurdle in 1973 and 1975, and finishing second in 1974. He was trained by Fred Rimell and ridden by Bill Smith and Ken White. The horse was the first to regain British hurdling's top prize....	7	Ken White	Fred Rimell
1975	Night Nurse Night Nurse (horse) Night Nurse was an Irish bred English trained National Hunt racehorse sired by Falcon.Timeform rated Night Nurse at 182, the highest rating ever awarded to a hurdler.* 182 - Night Nurse* 180 - Istabraq, Monksfield...	4	Paddy Broderick	Peter Easterby Peter Easterby Miles Henry 'Peter' Easterby is a retired British racehorse trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer three times....
1976	Bird's Nest	6	Steve Knight	Bob Turnell
1977	Bird's Nest	7	Andrew Turnell	Bob Turnell
1978	Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon was a racehorse who excelled in both National Hunt and flat racing.As a son of the great Derby winner Sea Bird II, Sea Pigeon was bred to be a high class horse on the flat, but his efforts as a three-year-old were slightly lacklustre - trained by Jeremy Tree, he ran in the 1973 Epsom...	8	Ian Watkinson	Peter Easterby Peter Easterby Miles Henry 'Peter' Easterby is a retired British racehorse trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer three times....
1979	Bird's Nest	9	Andrew Turnell	Bob Turnell
1980	Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon was a racehorse who excelled in both National Hunt and flat racing.As a son of the great Derby winner Sea Bird II, Sea Pigeon was bred to be a high class horse on the flat, but his efforts as a three-year-old were slightly lacklustre - trained by Jeremy Tree, he ran in the 1973 Epsom...	10	Alan Brown	Peter Easterby Peter Easterby Miles Henry 'Peter' Easterby is a retired British racehorse trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer three times....
1981	Ekbalco	5	David Goulding	Roger Fisher
1982	Donegal Prince	6	Phil Tuck	Paul Kelleway
1983	Gaye Brief	6	Sam Morshead	Mercy Rimell
1984	Browne's Gazette	6	Dermot Browne	Monica Dickinson
1985	Out of the Gloom	4	Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill is an Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a native of Castletownroche, County Cork in Ireland. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England, O'Neill is the private trainer to J. P. McManus, one of the largest owners of steeplechasers and...	Reg Hollinshead
1986	Tom Sharp	6	S. J. O'Neill	Walter Wharton
1987	Floyd Floyd (horse) Floyd was an English bred and English trained National Hunt racehorse sired by Relko. The horse was named after the english progressive rock band Pink Floyd....	7	Colin Brown	David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over...
1988	Floyd Floyd (horse) Floyd was an English bred and English trained National Hunt racehorse sired by Relko. The horse was named after the english progressive rock band Pink Floyd....	8	Simon Sherwood	David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over...
1989	Kribensis Kribensis (horse) Kribensis was an Irish thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Henbit and dam, Aquaria. The horse was owned by Sheikh Mohammed and trained by Sir Michael Stoute...	5	Mark Dwyer	Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
1990	Beech Road	8	Richard Guest	Toby Balding Toby Balding Gerald Barnard Balding, Jr. OBE , known as Toby Balding, is a retired British racehorse trainer.-Biography:He was born in the United States where his father, Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr., ran a polo team and is part of a famous racing family. His brother, Ian Balding, also a retired trainer, trained...
1991	Royal Derbi	6	Chris Grant	Neville Callaghan
1992	Halkopous	6	Steve Smith Eccles	Mark Tompkins Mark Tompkins Mark Tompkins is a British horse racer and trainer. He is currently the chairman of the Newmarket Trainers Federation. He worked as an assistant for the trainers Walter Wharton and Ryan Jarvis before working he began training independently. He has been a trainer at the Flint Cottage Stables for the...
1993	no race 1993
1994	Batabanoo	5	Peter Niven	Mary Reveley
1995	Padre Mio	7	Richard Guest	Charlie Brooks
1996	Space Trucker	5	John Shortt	Jessica Harrington
1997	Star Rage	7	Dean Gallagher	Mark Johnston
1998	Dato Star	7	Lorcan Wyer	Malcolm Jefferson
1999	Dato Star	8	Lorcan Wyer	Malcolm Jefferson
2000	Barton	7	Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...	Tim Easterby Tim Easterby Tim Easterby is a British racehorse trainer based in North Yorkshire.TIM EASTERBY took over the famous Habton Grange stables in North Yorkshire from his father, Peter Easterby, in February 1996...
2001	Landing Light	6	John Kavanagh	Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...
2002	Intersky Falcon	5	Liam Cooper	Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill is an Irish National Hunt racehorse trainer and former jockey. He is a native of Castletownroche, County Cork in Ireland. Based at the Jackdaws Castle training establishment in England, O'Neill is the private trainer to J. P. McManus, one of the largest owners of steeplechasers and...
2003	The French Furze The French Furze The French Furze is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Be My Guest and dam, Exciting. He is owned by Jim Ennis and was trained by Nicky Richards. Throughout his time as a racehorse, he was ridden by several famous jockeys, including Brian Harding, Tony Dobbin and Tony McCoy among others...	9	Brian Harding	Nicky Richards Nicky Richards Nicholas Gordon Richards is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria, England...
2004	Harchibald Harchibald Harchibald is a French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Perugino and dam, Dame D’Harvard. He is owned by DP Sharkey, trained by Noel Meade and predominately ridden by Paul Carberry....	5	Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
2005	Arcalis Arcalis (horse) Arcalis is a British Thoroughbred racehorse, best known for his win in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the 2005 Cheltenham Festival.-Background:...	5	Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin Tony Dobbin is a retired Northern Irish National Hunt jockey who rode mainly in Great Britain. He rode the winner of the Grand National on Lord Gyllene in 1997 and won over 1,200 races during his career in the saddle. He was the regular stable jockey for Nicky Richards...	Howard Johnson
2006	Straw Bear Straw Bear Straw Bear is an American Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Diesis and dam, Highland Ceilidh. He is owned by John P. McManus, trained by Nick Gifford, and his primary jockey has been Tony McCoy....	5	Tony McCoy Tony McCoy Anthony Peter McCoy OBE , commonly known as A. P. McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish horse racing jockey....	Nick Gifford
2007	Harchibald Harchibald Harchibald is a French Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Perugino and dam, Dame D’Harvard. He is owned by DP Sharkey, trained by Noel Meade and predominately ridden by Paul Carberry....	8	Paul Carberry Paul Carberry Paul Carberry is an Irish National Hunt jockey.- Background :He was born on 9 February 1974. He hails from a racing family. He is the son of jockey Tommy Carberry, who was a famous National Hunt jockey in the 1960s and 1970s. His uncle is Arthur Moore, one of Ireland's leading National Hunt trainers...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
2008	Punjabi Punjabi (horse) Punjabi is a British Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Komatie and dam, Competa. Punjabi started racing as a three year old in 2005...	5	Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...	Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson Nicky Henderson is a British racehorse trainer. He has been British jump racing Champion Trainer twice.Henderson, educated at Eton College, has been a trainer since 1978, based at Seven Barrows near Lambourn, Berkshire...
2009	Go Native Go Native Go Native is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse, born to sire, Double Eclipse and dam, Native Idea. He is owned by Docado Syndicate, trained by Noel Meade, and his primary jockey has been Paul Carberry. He was purchased by the Docado Syndicate for £25,000 from horse dealer Martin Cullinane...	6	Davy Condon Davy Condon Davy Condon is an Irish National hunt racing jockey in Great Britain and Ireland. Condon’s father, Michael Condon, was an amateur jockey. His father rode for Jimmy Murphy and Charles Byrnes, but a fall that left him in a coma cut his career short with just one win to his credit...	Noel Meade Noel Meade Noel Meade is a famous horse trainer from Ireland. He established Tu Va Stables in Co. Meath, Ireland as a place to train his horses.Meade began his career as a horse trainer in 1971, but it was not until 1978 that Meade started to become well recognized. Sweet Mint, winner of the Cork and Orrery...
2010	Peddlers Cross	5	Jason Maguire Jason Maguire Jason Maguire , is a Irish horse racing jockey who won the 2011 Grand National on Ballabriggs.-Early life and career:Maguire is the nephew of another former jockey Adrian Maguire. He started out in Irish pony races and as he started his career rode his first winner, Search For Peace at Cheltenham...	Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. is an English racehorse trainer and former jockey whose father, Ginger McCain, trained four Grand National winning horses.McCain, Jr., has trained four Cheltenham Festival winners as well as the 2011 Grand National winner, Ballabriggs....
2011	Overturn	7	Jason Maguire Jason Maguire Jason Maguire , is a Irish horse racing jockey who won the 2011 Grand National on Ballabriggs.-Early life and career:Maguire is the nephew of another former jockey Adrian Maguire. He started out in Irish pony races and as he started his career rode his first winner, Search For Peace at Cheltenham...	Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. Donald McCain, Jr. is an English racehorse trainer and former jockey whose father, Ginger McCain, trained four Grand National winning horses.McCain, Jr., has trained four Cheltenham Festival winners as well as the 2011 Grand National winner, Ballabriggs....

Bird's Nest finished first in 1980, but he was relegated to second place after a stewards' inquiry.


The 1993 running was abandoned because of snow.


The 2008 edition was held at Wetherby

Wetherby Racecourse

Wetherby Racecourse is a National Hunt racecourse situated near the market town of Wetherby in West Yorkshire, England, located from Leeds city centre.-Location:...

 over 2 miles and 110 yards.


The 2010 edition was held at Newbury

Newbury Racecourse

Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...

over 2 miles and 110 yards.