THE Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle almost certainly had no Champion Hurdle contenders in it and managed to pose more questions than answers.

Irving won it, regaining his title from two years previously, with a respectable timefigure of 155, but he might well not have had Petit Mouchoir stood up three out when leading and going well, hampering Apple’s Jade, who rallied to be beaten just a nose.

There is also the pace of the race to be considered. It was run at a strong gallop in borderline soft/good to soft ground, and Irving was in trouble before things rather collapsed in front of him.

The Fighting Fifth was the fastest of three races at two miles over hurdles on the card, as you would expect, but was easily slowest of the trio from the home turn.

All in all, it is probably best treating the bare result with some caution.

A truer contest came in the very next race, in which Otago Trail outstayed Bristol De Mai in a Rehearsal Chase at slightly short of three miles.

The winner gets a 152 timefigure and the runner-up, who was conceding weight, a 155, though the latter could have something even bigger in him back at around two and a half miles.

Before moving on from British jumps racing, it’s worth noting that there was a bumper performance of some consequence at Wetherby on the Wednesday, when Petticoat Tails made a winning debut for Warren Greatrex. This was a more truly-run race than many such, and the well-bred four-year-old returned a 115 timefigure, which is third-best in the division at this early stage.