Mark Howard's 2009 Race Review

Mark Howard, regular pundit on Racing UK and author of the popular ‘One Jump Ahead’ series, shares his thoughts on the 2009 WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

He may have been a 25/1 chance, but Go Native’s victory in the WBX.COM Fighting Fifth Hurdle came as no surprise to anyone connected with the Noel Meade stable.

The County Meath based handler was gaining his third win in the event and under a confident Davy Condon ride, almost Carberry esque, he quickened smartly off a steady gallop to beat last year’s runner-up Sublimity by two and a half lengths.

Last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner has a potent turn of foot, enjoys decent ground and looks tailor-made for the second leg of the £1m bonus at Kempton on Boxing Day.

The Christmas Hurdle is another event Meade has enjoyed plenty of success in thanks to Harchibald and Jazz Messenger and Go Native will be tough to beat granted suitable conditions.

Robbie Hennessy was understandably delighted with the performance of Sublimity. The former Champion Hurdler appears to have benefited from a wind operation and he remains a force at the highest level.

Most observers who gathered at Gosforth Park were anticipating a big show down between Binocular and Solwhit but it didn’t materialise as both A.P.McCoy and Davy Russell were in trouble before the final flight.

Both performances must be deemed disappointing but neither should be written off.

Binocular looked a shadow of the horse that won the Boylesports International Hurdle at Ascot last December, while the race may have come too soon for Charles Byrne’s gelding who had won the Punchestown Hurdle only a fortnight earlier.

Sabrina Harty must have been satisfied with the run of Won In The Dark who was beaten less than seven lengths in fourth and he will be a threat to the likes of Sublimity at Leopardstown over the Festive period.

Al Eile was almost certainly unsuited by the sedate gallop as he was tapped for speed rounding the final bend before staying on and was far from disgrace. Two miles on a sound surface appears to be an inadequate stamina test for him nowadays. However, look out for him at Aintree in the spring.