Straw Bear impresses at Newcastle

Straw Bear displayed his credentials as a Champion Hurdle contender with an impressive victory in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

Set a good pace by long-time leader The French Furze, Straw Bear and Tony McCoy took up the running a couple of flights out and eased home by five lengths.

Noble Request was second with The French Furze third, the fifth time he has finished in the frame in the race.

Straw Bear is now likely to tackle the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

There is a £1m bonus on offer if the Fighting Fifth winner goes on to take the Christmas Hurdle and the Champion Hurdle.

Straw Bear, one of last season's leading novices who was second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, was cut to single figures for the 2007 Champion Hurdle.

The five-year-old, who runs in the famous colours of JP McManus, is trained by Nick Gifford.

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wbx.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle
Newcastle, 2m

1 Straw Bear (A McCoy) Evens fav
2 Noble Request (R Johnson) 9-2
3 The French Furze (B Harding) 66-1
Nine ran. Dist: 5l, 1¼l.