My Tent Or Yours odds-on for Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle

My Tent Or Yours bids to underline his Champion Hurdle claims in Saturday’s Stanjames.com Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle. He has been priced up at 4-5 favourite with recent Wincanton winner Melodic Rendezvous 9-4 to cause an upset.

My Tent Or Yours burst on to the hurdling scene when running away with the valuable Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February. Henderson resisted the temptation to pitch him into Champion Hurdle class and he went off hot favourite for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

He moved easily into contention under a confident ride from Tony McCoy but found Champagne Fever in determined mood and went under by half a length. He made no mistake in his final race of the season at Aintree and comes here with a similar profile to the ill-fated Darlan.

His main market rival is Melodic Rendezvous who missed Cheltenham last season through injury but returned with victory at Wincanton in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle. The runner-up Far West did little to boost the form when only third at Haydock on Saturday but Melodic Rendezvous is now seeking a fifth win on the trot.

Grumeti was regarded by many as a possible Champion Hurdle prospect last season but he also struggled with injury and did not reappear until the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April. He eventually faded into fourth in that event and his performance here will indicate whether he has retained his ability.

John Quinn saddled the winner last year with the now side-lined Countrywide Flame and he saddles the progressive Cockney Sparrow. The four-year-old won a Listed race at Wetherby at the start of the month but this represents a big step up in class.

Wetherby runner-up Prima Porta may also take her chance whilst Nicky Richards could run his promising gelding Duke Of Navan. He won the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso in February

Oliver Sherwood’s Puffin Billy was only fifth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and has a lot of ground to make up on the favourite.