Veteran Furze Fighting fit

NICKY RICHARDS will rely on stable stalwart The French Furze in Saturday’s Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.

The popular 11-year-old will line up for the two-mile race for a sixth successive year and he will be bidding for a second win after enjoying victory in 2003.

The French Furze was only fifth behind Harchibald last year and he is likely to be an outsider this time as he will be having his first outing since finishing well down the field in the Scottish Champion Hurdle in April.