Drama was expected in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle but it again threw up more than expected.

For the second time in a big race, the mare Golden Love benefitted from two of her main rivals crashing out of a top hurdle contest.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Constitution Hill was the 6/4 favourite as he looked to get his career back on track following a disappointing end to last season, with Nico de Boinville in the saddle for a confident team following a pleasing racecourse gallop.

The race was full of high drama from early as Constitution Hill crashed out at the second hurdle.

The second favourite The New Lion who had made most of the running, and led into the straight, was asked by rider Harry Skelton to quicken into the second last and he too caught a fore leg in the hurdle and crashed out.

It left the Champion Hurdle winner Golden Love, who had benefitted from Constitution Hill and State Man falling in the Champion Hurdle, to make the best of her way home as Anzadam loomed up on her outside.

The Willie Mullins runner looked a big danger but he hung fire and the mare battled on to another famous victory with Lorcan Williams punching the air. Nemean Lion was only a length and a quarter back in third, the only other finisher. Both fallers emerged unscathed.

“She’s run a brilliant race, I’m so pleased we’ve got her back from Wetherby (beaten in a listed race at the start of the month). We were really flummoxed because I thought we had her so well then," trainer Jeremy Scott said.

“We were beaten nearly a mile from home and when we got her back and scoped her we found she had a bit of mucus so I guess that was the reason why, it was a bit of a shocker.

Lorcan Williams said: "It's been a tough season but she's been our flagbearer. She wasn't herself at Wetherby so it's a fantastic training performance to get her back running with such zest and she jumped fantastic. She turns up and runs her race and it's great for Jeremy and the team."

The Golden Horn mare was sent off at 22/1 here after being 25s when wining the Champion Hurdle last March.

Her owner Ian Gosden said she would have a break of a few months but he fancied coming to Ireland and “giving it to them in their back garden”, suggesting the DRF could be on the cards.

Speaking on Sky Sports Racing from Newbury later in the afternoon, trainer Nicky Henderson said on Constitution Hill. “

"What can you say, it's amazing that's the second time he's handed the race to someone else and they don't even win - State Man fell in the Champion Hurdle and The New Lion's now gone as well. I hope they're okay.

"I loved the way he went and jumped the first, we need to take a breath and be rational because it can have you in bits. It's really sad. Can we go on asking him to do it? It doesn't seem fair on anybody.

"We've been through it all, we've done everything, why has this habit crept in? It's become familiar and it's hard to go on watching it but we can't teach him anymore.

"He’s as good a jumper as you will see, why does he keep doing this?” He suggested a run over two miles in a flat maiden but pans for the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner were obviously on hold.

Dan Skelton said on The New Lion: "I think he would have won, that's only an opinion and there's no point expressing it because we didn't stand up. It's just frustrating for that to happen on his first start of the season."

Bookies reacted with a Champion Hurdle market reshuffled after dramatic Fighting Fifth, with Lossiemouth now a general 2/1 favourite from 3/1, The New Lion is 7/2, 8 William Munny, 10 Anzadam, Constitution Hill 10/1 from 5s; Golden Ace 12/1-14s from 33/1