The leading hope for the Champion Hurdle failed to finish on his comeback appearance in a dramatic Fighting Fifth in which Constitution Hill also came down

Dan Skelton says The New Lion answered the ‘biggest question’ despite coming a cropper at Newcastle on Saturday. Last season’s Cheltenham Festival winner and top novice over hurdles took an unbeaten record into the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Not only was he tackling the 2m Champion Hurdle distance for the first time, he was also taking on former Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill, the unbeaten William Mullins-trained Anzadam and the mare Golden Ace, who snatched the Champion Hurdle victory in March after State Man fell at the last when leading. The Fighting Fifth proved equally dramatic as Constitution Hill fell for the third time

See Full Page