The last week of November has another exciting event in store for those who love jump horse racing. The Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting will hold its annual races at the Newcastle Racecourse, so mark your calendar and get ready!
The North East of Britain has an impressive horse racing history that goes as far back as the early 17th century. Since then, several important races have been conducted in the area, including the King’s Plate started by King George II in 1753 and the Northumberland Plate, whose first recorded race was held in Town Moor in 1833. In 1882 it was transferred to Gosforth Park where the modern Newcastle Racecourse is located. With tracks for both flat and National Hunt racing, Newcastle Racecourse stays active throughout the year.
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 meeting will be the last among the November fixtures at Newcastle. Lasting for one day, this year it will be held on Saturday, 29 November. The BetMGM EBF ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle Race will open the day as its first race, while The BetMGM Rehearsal Handicap Steeple Chase will be the closing race.
The BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race, after which the entire event is called, will take place in the second half of the day.
Key Dates & Timings
The BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 will be conducted in the fourth week of November and last for one day. It will host seven races, including the eponymous Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race.
Day One: BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle
- When: Saturday, 29 November 2025
- Gate opening: 10:30 am
- First race: 11:42 am
- Headline race: 2:00 pm
- Last race: 3:20 pm
The daily race cards for the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 are as follows:
Saturday, 29 November
Going: to be confirmed
| Time | Race | Distance | Conditions |
| 11:42 am | THE BETMGM EBF ‘NATIONAL HUNT’ MAIDEN HURDLE RACE (CLASS 2) (Qualifier) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | Two miles about one furlong
(2m 190yds) |
4-6YO £20,000.00 |
| 12:15 pm | THE PAUL FERGUSONS JUMPERS TO FOLLOW HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 4) (Go North Monet’s Garden Series Qualifier) (GBB RACE) (CL 4) | Two miles about four furlongs
(2m 4f 19yds) |
4YO+ £16,500.00 Rating 0-120 |
| 12:50 pm | THE WEATHERBYS AND BIRDIE CALENDARS ‘THE FRENCH FURZE’ NOVICES’ HURDLE RACE (CLASS 2) (GBB RACE) (CL 2) | Two miles about six furlongs
(2m 6f) |
4YO+ £20,000.00 |
| 1:25 pm | THE BETMGM HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 3) (GBB RACE) (CL 3) | Three miles about six furlongs
(3m 5f 190yds) [3m abt 6f] |
4YO+ £20,000.00 Rating 0-130 |
| 2:00 pm | THE BETMGM FIGHTING FIFTH HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 1) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about one furlong
(2m 190yds) |
4YO+ £115,000.00 |
| 2:35 pm | THE BETMGM HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 3) (CL 3) | Two miles about four furlongs
(2m 4f 62yds) |
3YO+ £30,000.00 Rating 0-140 |
| 3:15 pm | THE BETMGM REHEARSAL HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) (GBB RACE) (CL 1) | Two miles about seven and a half furlongs
(2m 7f 91yds) |
4YO+ £70,000.00 |
Headline Race at the Fighting Fifth Hurdle
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting includes 7 races conducted during one day of the event. Diverse conditions, tracks, and runners make sure that every race enthusiast at the Newcastle Racecourse will find something to their taste and have a great day at the races.
BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Saturday, 29 November)
The BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race that accepts both male and female horses aged four years or older. It is run over the distance of about 2 miles and half a furlong (2 miles and 46 yards, or 3,261 metres) and includes nine hurdles.
Established in 1969, it is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Hurdling. The other two include The Christmas Hurdle held at Kempton Park Racecourse and The Champion Hurdle held at Cheltenham Racecourse. The name of the race refers to the nickname “Fighting Fifth” given to the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers to reflect their former name “the 5th Regiment of Foot”.
Currently, there are 12 runners announced to compete in this year’s race, but this number may change before the day of the race. Jockeys for the race are still awaiting confirmation.
The current full list of contenders and their trainers runs as follows:
- Anzadam (age 5, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Burdett Road (age 5, trainer James Owen)
- Celtic Dino (age 6, trainer Sam Thomas)
- Colonel Mustard (age 10, trainer Lorna Fowler)
- Constitution Hill (age 8, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- Give It To Me OJ (age 4, trainer Gary & Josh Moore)
- Lulamba (age 4, trainer Nicky Henderson)
- The New Lion (age 6, trainer Dan Skelton)
- Zanndabad (age 6, trainer AJ Martin)
- Golden Ace (age 7, trainer Jeremy Scott)
- Kargese (age 5, trainer Willie Mullins)
- Kateira (age 8, trainer Dan Skelton)
Betting at Fighting Fifth Hurdle
Horse race betting is a fun way to add some more excitement to your racing experience. When it comes to betting, all races at the Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 event will be open for wagers. Betting will be available both online and in bookmaking facilities at the venue or bookies at the tracks. Each race will offer various popular horse race betting markets.
At 7bet, we offer a wide range of horse race betting markets both for domestic and international events.
Please note that odds for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 will be available closer to the event date.
Betting at the Fighting Fifth Hurdle 2025 includes various horse betting markets, with some of the most popular ones being:
- Win: The idea behind this bet is pretty straightforward: you are trying to predict the winner of the race and place your wager on them for a payout in case your prediction is correct. The size of the payout will depend on the offered odds and your stake. This is the easiest betting market to follow in every sport, horse racing included. That is exactly why it is often recommended for those who are just beginning their journey in the world of sports betting.
- Place: If you see a horse that is strong enough to make it into the winning top but competes against other equally strong horses, or you are just having doubts that it can win the first place in the race, you can bet on the horse being placed. In horse racing this means that the horse will take one of the winning places. Depending on the number of runners, it can fall in the range from top two to top four. What works in your favour is that you don’t have to predict the exact place your horse is going to take. As long as it is placed, you are eligible for a payout.
- First Two (or First Three): You can also place a wager on the entire winning top, be it the first two or the first three horses to come to the finish line. However, this doesn’t mean that you place several wagers on each horse separately. Instead, you name the horses who in your opinion will make it into the winning top and place one wager on all of them at once. Keep in mind, though, that in order to win it is not enough to correctly predict the winning horses. You also need to name the exact order in which they will finish the race. If you predict the order incorrectly or one of the horses doesn’t make it into the winning top, you will lose your wager.
- Two From Three: This betting market has a somewhat similar concept but implies slightly lower risks. For this bet, you are trying to predict any two out of three horses to come to the finish line first. What makes this bet a bit less risky is that you don’t have to predict their exact placement as long as they fall anywhere within the winning top three. But you will still have to name both horses correctly. If only one of the two horses you bet on is placed in the bet, your wager won’t be eligible for a payout.
Always remember to gamble responsibly and treat betting as a form of entertainment and not means for financial gain.
Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race Past Winners
With over 55 years of history under its belt, the Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race may not be the oldest running horse race in Great Britain, but it most definitely has seen some of the greatest teams of runners, jockeys, and trainers, who took the crown at the end of each race. The horses who won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race in the past 25 years since 2000 were the following:
| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2000 | Barton | 7 | Tony Dobbin | Tim Easterby |
| 2001 | Landing Light | 6 | John Kavanagh | Nicky Henderson |
| 2002 | Intersky Falcon | 5 | Liam Cooper | Jonjo O’Neill |
| 2003 | The French Furze | 9 | Brian Harding | Nicky Richards |
| 2004 | Harchibald | 5 | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade |
| 2005 | Arcalis | 5 | Tony Dobbin | Howard Johnson |
| 2006 | Straw Bear | 5 | Tony McCoy | Nick Gifford |
| 2007 | Harchibald | 8 | Paul Carberry | Noel Meade |
| 2008 | Punjabi | 5 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2009 | Go Native | 6 | Davy Condon | Noel Meade |
| 2010 | Peddlers Cross | 5 | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain Jr. |
| 2011 | Overturn | 7 | Jason Maguire | Donald McCain Jr. |
| 2012 | Countrywide Flame | 4 | Denis O’Regan | John Quinn |
| 2013 | My Tent Or Yours | 6 | Tony McCoy | Nicky Henderson |
| 2014 | Irving | 6 | Nick Scholfield | Paul Nicholls |
| 2015 | Identity Thief | 5 | Bryan Cooper | Henry De Bromhead |
| 2016 | Irving | 8 | Harry Cobden | Paul Nicholls |
| 2017 | Buveur d’Air | 6 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2018 | Buveur d’Air | 7 | Barry Geraghty | Nicky Henderson |
| 2019 | Cornerstone Lad | 5 | Henry Brooke | Micky Hammond |
| 2020 | Epatante | 6 | Aidan Coleman | Nicky Henderson |
| 2021
(dh) |
Epatante
Not So Sleepy |
7
9 |
Aidan Coleman
Jonathan Burke |
Nicky Henderson
Hughie Morrison |
| 2022 | Constitution Hill | 5 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
| 2023 | Not So Sleepy | 11 | Sean Bowen | Hughie Morrison |
| 2024 | Sir Gino | 4 | Nico de Boinville | Nicky Henderson |
Bay gelding Sir Gino was 4 when he won the Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race in 2024. This was the first time he was awarded the champion title for the event. The entire 2024 season was exceptionally successful for Sir Gino, as he bagged another three wins in addition to Fighting Fifth Hurdle, two before the race at the Newcastle Racecourse and one after.
His maiden season was equally victorious, with Sir Gino winning both races he participated in. However, currently he is not among the runners announced for this year’s race.
While for jockey Nico de Boinville this was his second win in the race, Nicky Henderson became the trainer of the winning horse for the ninth time in his career.
Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race Records
Fighting Fifth Hurdle accepts horses of both genders aged four years or older, which means horses can enter this race more than once in their lifetime and potentially also win it multiple times. Below you will find a list of all horses, jockeys, and trainers who took victory home more times than others.
- Leading horse: Comedy of Errors (1972, 1973, 1974) and Birds Nest (1976, 1977, 1979); each with 3 wins
- Leading jockey: Barry Geraghty with 3 wins (Punjabi 2008, Buveur d’Air 2017, 2018)
- Leading trainer: Nicky Henderson with 9 wins (Landing Light 2001, Punjabi 2008, My Tent Or Yours 2013, Buveur d’Air 2017, 2018, Epatante 2020, 2021 (a dead heat), Constitution Hill 2022, Sir Gino 2024)
How to Buy Tickets
Tickets for the BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting are available for purchase on the official website of the Newcastle Racecourse, as it is customary with most renowned British racecourses.
When purchasing a ticket, you can choose from two available enclosures, that is, the Grandstand Enclosure and the Premier Enclosure.
The Grandstand Enclosure is the more affordable one. A ticket for the event will cost you £25 per person. You will be offered a discount if you are booking passes for a group of over 10 people. In that case each ticket will cost £22.
Opening stunning views into the very heart of racing action, the Grandstand Enclosure ticket comes with everything you need for a fun filled day at the races. From food outlets and bars to live entertainment and betting facilities, you can enjoy your experience outdoors on the Grandstand lawns or in the Grandstand hall. And not to forget, you get to view the Parade Ring!
Tickets to the Premier Enclosure cost £30 per person, but they don’t come with a discount for large group booking. However, you do get a Punter’s Package which, in addition to all the perks of a Premier Enclosure ticket, includes a race day programme and two complimentary drinks. The price for the Punter’s Package is £36 per person.
When purchasing a pass to the Premier Enclosure, you will also get access to the Grandstand area. On top of access to all public bars, eateries, and betting outlets, you can also enjoy the action in the Pre-Parade Ring, follow the horses as they walk down to the Parade Ring, and of course, enjoy all entertainment provided on the race day.
Children under 17 don’t require a ticket and can get free access if accompanied by an adult. A complimentary child ticket will be issued on the day of the race.
Hospitality tickets are available for the Grand Buffet restaurant. You can purchase either the regular package which costs £206 per person, or the Grand Buffet All Inclusive package which costs £275 per person.
With the Premier Enclosure open for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting, it means that guests are advised to follow the smart casual dress code. If you have purchased a hospitality package, check in advance what attire is acceptable for the venue.
Any type of sports wear, especially shirts in football club colours, is prohibited to avoid unnecessary confrontations. Fancy dress is allowed in the Grandstand Enclosure if it is not deemed as offensive.
Children don’t have to follow the dress code in any premises of the Newcastle Racecourse.
Travel & Transport Guide
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting is conducted at the Newcastle Racecourse located at the following address: Newcastle Racecourse, High Gosforth Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5HP. You can reach your destination by various means of transportation from different directions.
If you are driving to the racecourse, you can take A1, A19, or main approach roads to Newcastle, and then follow the tourist signs to the racecourse once you are in the area.
If you prefer to travel by rail, the closest station on the main line would be the Newcastle Central Station. You also have Regent Centre and Four Lane Ends metro stations, both are located two miles from the racecourse. On certain race days, a shuttle bus will be running to the racecourse from both metro stations.
You can also take a regular bus from the Haymarket Bus Station in Newcastle City Centre, which is only 15 minutes away from the racecourse. They are available every 10-15 minutes and will bring you just outside the Racecourse Road entrance.
If you are travelling long distance for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle Race, the Newcastle International Airport will be your best point of arrival, as it is located just 6 miles from the racecourse.
Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org