The rescheduled Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle has attracted a top-class field, headed by Nicky Henderson’s Constitution Hill.
The Champion Hurdle winner will be joined by stablemate Shishkin, who refused to race on seasonal reappearance in the 1965 Chase at Ascot a fortnight ago. The gelding was entered to redeem his character in the Rehearsal Chase on the same card as the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and has been diverted to hurdles for a prep run ahead of the King George VI Chase.
With stable jockey Nico De Boinville unsurprisingly set to reunite with Constitution Hill, James Bowen has come into the ride on Shishkin and is delighted with the prospect:
"I'm really excited to be riding Shishkin and it is an honour to ride him.
"I didn't know I was definitely on him until the declarations today as there was a chance I could have gone to Aintree, but it has ended up working out well for me.
"I've ridden a few nice horses, but he would be by far the best horse that I've ever ridden in a race. It is great they have rescheduled the race, and it is great to be part of it.
"I'm not saying he is going to go and win, but hopefully he can run a good race to get his season up and running after what happened at Ascot.
"I schooled him back over hurdles this morning and he was good. We jumped 10 in total as we jumped two lots of five twice and he was class over them.
"It was very much a surprise to us all what he did at Ascot and I'm not really sure why it happened.
"He has been good at home since then and hopefully he will be fine on Saturday.
"This was not Plan A or Plan B. It is a case of it being Plan C, but it is a good stepping stone for him and his targets later on in the season."
The Henderson pair will be joined by Goshen, Not So Sleepy and the two mares, Love Envoi and You Wear It Well. Should Constitution Hill be withdrawn, Harry Fry's Love Envoi is likely to assume favouritism as a three-time course winner.
