Furze fighting fit for Newcastle jaunt

Nicky Richards is delighted with his teenager The French Furze ahead of his eighth appearance in the wbx.com “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday.

The 13-year-old has made it to Gosforth Park for the valuable contest every year since 2000, winning the race in 2003.

And he is so popular at the north-east venue that officials have decided to name a race after him on Saturday as the wbx.com “The French Furze” Novices’ Hurdle will be run for the first time.

“He’s top of the pops,” said Richards.

“He’s in great shape at home and he certainly knows what week it is.

“He’d probably be fifth or sixth top-rated but if we keep getting the rain you never know.

“It depends what comes over from Ireland but he’ll beat more than beats him.”

Alan King is under no illusions as to the task facing Katchit.

The Triumph Hurdle winner has lost only once in nine starts over hurdles but faces a completely different test this weekend.

He will come up against horses older than himself for the first time and King is well aware of the stiffness of his assignment.

“He’s had his run and he worked very well this morning, but I’m under no illusions as to the task facing him on Saturday taking on the likes of Blythe Knight and the Irish team, but we’ve got to find out,” said King.

“It was a good performance at Aintree based on the weights, but Degas Art didn’t exactly do much for the form last weekend.

“He’s going to have to improve again. I think he has, but whether he has improved enough I don’t know.

“It’s going to be a whole new ball game for him against the older horses,” he told At The Races.