Horse

[hopey]

What was the last horse to win the fighting fifth and champion hurdle in the same season?

[dontbegreat]

Re: Horse Kribensis Newcastle Journal - 2006-10-27 THE forthcoming Fighting Fifth Hurdle meeting at Newcastle gained additional significance last night as the Tyneside track's biggest National Hunt race became part of an intriguing £1m championship series, writes Paul Gilder. The WBX Hurdling Triple Crown has grouped the November 25 meeting with the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Kempton and the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham - with any horse able to win all three of Britain's Grade One two-mile hurdles set to be handsomely rewarded with the seven-figure prize. That the eagerly-awaited North-East event is now rated alongside such esteemed meetings can only increase its prestige. Given the financial incentives on offer, the Fighting Fifth can only go from strength to strength. John Francome, the former champion jockey said: "I think it will attract more horses to Newcastle and that's a great thing. ”Newcastle is a terrific track and very well-kept and if the Triple Crown means more good horses run there, it is an excellent development." Edward Gillespie, the managing director of Cheltenham racecourse, said "Hopefully the Triple Crown will attract horses to the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle that might not have travelled there before and that is important." "I'm a great fan of the Fighting Fifth and I am normally there. I think this initiative will help to boost its standing and that's great." Kribensis remains the only horse to have won the Fighting Fifth, the Christmas Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle in the same season. That was 17 years ago but, as the sport's biggest names clamour to repeat that feat, the implications for jumps racing are obvious. WBX chief executive Malcolm Gray said: "The elevation of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle to top-flight status now means that there are three Grade One two-mile hurdles during the National Hunt season. "The Hurdling Triple Crown will bind those three races together to form a championship series that will finally offer racing fans a true measure of the greatest hurdlers in National Hunt racing. "On the flat, Triple Crown winners like Nijinsky and Oh So Sharp have etched their names indelibly in the history books as true legends of the turf. "We hope that any horse that can win the WBX Hurdling Triple Crown will be elevated to similar superstar status in the eyes of the racing public." The £1m bonus will not go just to the winning owner, who will receive £700,000 of the prize. The winning trainer will collect £150,000, the stable lad £100,000 and the stable staff £50,000. It will be the first time that a significant portion of the prize money will be allocated to the stable staff. Amongst those expected to challenge for the big prize is Asian Maze. Noel Meade is expected to send either Iktifaf or Harchibald for the Triple Crown, while Nick Gifford has confirmed that Straw Bear could be among those starting the £1m challenge in the North-East next month. - http://www.wbx.com/default.ashx?go=%2fContent.ashx%3fContentID%3de0dddfd4-bc19-4a5f-9eca-e5aab67e293a%26ContentType%3dPress%26BackQStr%3dtype%253dPress