Key Points
- Trainer Joe Tizzard will start six-year-old Alexei’s season in the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle Racecourse.
- Connections plan to run the gelding in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival later in the campaign.
- Alexei won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton during the 2025–2026 season.
- Tizzard considers the horse best suited to faster ground conditions.
- Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle is the first Grade 1 race of the British National Hunt season.
Newcastle (Oxford Daily) September 29, 2026 — High-class hurdler Alexei will launch his upcoming National Hunt season in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle Racecourse, trainer Joe Tizzard has confirmed, as connections target a return to the top level ahead of a potential tilt at the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
As reported by Nick Robson of the Press Association via the Oxford Mail, trainer Joe Tizzard confirmed that the six-year-old gelding has been primed to make his seasonal reappearance in the Grade 1 feature at Newcastle in late autumn.
The Venetia Williams-bred son of Muhtathir, owned by Brocade Racing, was one of the standout performers of last season’s middle-distance hurdling division and is now set to test his credentials against the premier two-milers in Great Britain.
Speaking on the roadmap for the horse’s upcoming campaign, Tizzard outlined that the Newcastle feature provides the ideal springboard towards the major spring festivals. As documented by Robson, Tizzard stated: “The Fighting Fifth is where we plan to start Alexei. He progressed really well through last season and earned his place at the top table, so starting off at Newcastle makes perfect sense for him before looking towards the spring.”
The Grade 1 test on the Gosforth Park turf traditionally marks the first top-grade prize of the British National Hunt calendar, offering a lucrative £115,000 purse and acting as the opening leg of the prestigious Triple Crown of Hurdling.
How Did Alexei Build His Reputation Last Season?
The decision to target the Fighting Fifth Hurdle follows an outstanding progression throughout the 2025–2026 National Hunt season. As reported by Sky Sports Racing following his victory in November 2025, Alexei delivered a commanding performance to sweep aside a competitive field in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Following that victory, Tizzard praised the horse’s adaptability across contrasting conditions, remarking that it was a “proper performance” given the quick turnaround from earlier outings at Chepstow and Ascot.
Alexei subsequently consolidated his position among the top division by winning the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton in February. As reported by the PA News Agency at Wincanton, Tizzard expressed his delight after watching the gelding secure a hard-fought victory on testing ground.
Speaking to reporters after the race, Tizzard noted: “I haven’t had a horse good enough to run in this race, so to win it is fantastic. I hope it’s better ground at Cheltenham as he’s a pure speed horse so he’s done really well to handle this ground. The faster the better for him”.
The gelding’s connections, Brocade Racing—who previously enjoyed historic success with 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Native River—have remained realistic yet ambitious regarding Alexei’s top-level prospects.
As reported by the Bournemouth Echo, Tizzard remarked prior to his Grade 1 assignments: “We’re going with an outside chance, but to even go there at all is special. If you’re not in, you can’t win. We’ve been to Cheltenham with high expectations before and apart from with Native River you get put in your place pretty firmly, so we’ll only go quietly hopeful”.
Background of the Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Alexei’s Development
The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is one of the most prestigious open hurdle contests in the National Hunt calendar. First run in 1969, the two-mile contest derives its title from the Fighting Fifth Regiment—officially the Northumberland Fusiliers—one of the oldest infantry regiments in the British Army.
Promoted to Grade 1 status in 2004, the race has historically been won by some of the iconic names in jump racing, including three-time winner Comedy of Errors, Birds Nest, Buveur d’Air, Epatante, and Constitution Hill.
Alexei’s rise through the handicap ranks into open Grade 1 company represents a significant achievement for the Tizzard stable at Venn Farm in Dorset. Having started his career in bumpers and novice hurdles, the six-year-old demonstrated substantial year-on-year improvement in his jumping execution and cruising rate.
His triumph in the Greatwood Hurdle under top weight off a mark in the mid-140s confirmed his capacity to handle fast-paced handicap fields, while his subsequent Kingwell Hurdle success proved his ability to compete in non-handicap conditions against seasoned graded performers.
Newcastle Racecourse’s left-handed track features a long, demanding home straight that heavily tests stamina alongside tactical speed. The venue frequently hosts testing conditions in late autumn, though the galloping nature of the course generally suits strong-travelling types capable of accelerating off a quick tempo.
Prediction: How Will This Development Affect British Hurdling and Racing Stakeholders?
Alexei’s commitment to the Fighting Fifth Hurdle directly influences several key groups within the National Hunt racing landscape:
1. Impact on Racehorse Owners and Trainers
By stepping directly into Grade 1 company at Newcastle, Alexei establishes a clear target for rival stables planning their autumn campaigns. Trainers managing top-tier two-mile hurdlers will be forced to assess whether to take on Tizzard’s rapidly improving gelding in the Fighting Fifth or re-route their runners toward alternative reappearance options, such as the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown or the Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.
2. Impact on Bookmakers and Ante-Post Betting Markets
An impressive performance by Alexei at Newcastle will trigger significant movements in ante-post markets for the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Having been priced as a 20/1 outsider following his Kingwell Hurdle win, a decisive victory in Grade 1 company would see his odds shorten dramatically, repositioning him as a primary British-trained contender against elite Irish opposition.
3. Impact on Racing Fans and Newcastle Racecourse
The inclusion of an exciting, ascending star like Alexei enhances the prestige and public profile of Newcastle’s flagship November fixture. For National Hunt enthusiasts, Alexei’s presence promises an authentic measuring stick for the division early in the season, offering clarity on whether the six-year-old can bridge the gap between Grade 2 winner and genuine European Grade 1 champion.
