Light lands `Fighting Fifth` Landing Light gained a decisive success on his seasonal bow in the Grade Two ertemps `Fighting Fifth` Hurdle at Newcastle today but will not have caused any loss of sleep in the mighty Istabraq camp about the Smurfit Champion Hurdle. John Kavanagh, having his first ride on the course, sent the Nicky Henderson trained gelding into the lead approaching the final flight and kept him going well to hold off the renewed challenge from The French Furze by a length. Simply Gifted was third best, six lengths further adrift, but five lengths in front of the disappointing Dibea Times who was three and a half lengths ahead of Montalcino who also ran below his best. The Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham in two weeks` time is likely to be on Landing Light`s agenda, Victor Chandler having shortened him two points to 10-1 for the `Champion` next March. When asked if the gelding would pose a serious threat to Istabraq, Kavanagh said: 'The ground was quite testing for him on his first run of the season, but he was only about 80 per cent ready so he will improve a lot on this. 'There is only one Istabraq, but take him out of the Champion and Landing Light will be right up there with a chance, he is a very good horse and it was a good piece of training to have him forward enough to win this first time out even though there is something to work on.' Malcolm Jefferson was not despondent in the least over Dibea Times and he reasoned: 'I thought he was straight enough but he has just taken a blow in the straight the ground was a little bit tacky and he will come on again from this. 'I have always said he was a good horse and he is still a good horse I am not chaning my mind.' Barton duly made it two out of three over fences under Tony Dobbin in the Stanley Racing Novices` Chase, but despite having 12 lengths to spare over Le Cabro D`Or he was not as impressive as when winning here just over two weeks ago. He took up the running at the tenth of the 18 fences and he made the rest but he was not fluent at several of his fences and he was clearly tired on the run-in and had nothing more in hand than the official margin in the three miles test. However Tim Easterby who trains the eight-year-old for the course chairman Sir Stanley Clarke was not at all disappointed and said: 'I think two and a half miles is his trip at the moment, but he will get three and a half when he is right! 'The trip today was no problem, it was just a question of that (sticky ground and he will get more ready. he will get a lot better and he will definitely come back here for the Dipper Novices` Chase (12 January). Dobbin said: 'The horse in front of started making mistakes and going out to the right early on and it made my fellow do the same. It upset him and he never got into a rhythm after that, the testing ground did not help either and he will be better than that.' Mary Reveley who had earlier been successful with Polish Flame, ridden by Alan Dempsey, who outclassed his rivals in the Douglas Smith Memorial Juvenile Novices` Hurdle, teamed up with Dobbin and they completed personal doubles when The Major gained his fourth win in a row in game fashion in the Freeclaim IDC Handicap Chase. The Saltburn trainer said of The Major: 'He was mad when he first came over here from New Zealand but he settles now and he just keeps doing it. Polish Flame jumped better at Ayr than he did today, the ground was not as bad up there, it was a bit sticky for him here. We may look for something better for him now.' Graham Lee equalled his best score of 28 when completing a double on Kate Walton`s Roman Outlaw in the Gosforth Decorating & Building Handicap Chase and Dibea Times`s stable companion Moss Harvey, but he also picked up a one day suspension (10 December) for careless riding on the former. The stewards found that Roman Outlaw had interfered with Red Emperor on the run to the final fence but they also concluded that the interference did not improve the winner`s placing and therefore allowed the result to stand. Mrs Walton was sending out her first winner since taking out a full licence when Roman Outlaw put up a dour staying performance for Lee to turn the tables on Red Emperor, who had beaten him here on Monday, in game fashion. A daughter of the late Sam Hall, Mrs Walton is hoping to take Roman Outlaw back to Newcastle in the New Year and explained: 'Roman Outlaw is a hard ride, but he has ability and I am chuffed to bits about this win! I took out the full licence in August and we have ten horses in at present. 'He has had two quick races so we will give him a break and I would like to bring him back here for the `Eider` in February but I am worried that he might not get in the handicap.' Jefferson will keep Moss Harvey over hurdles this season and reasoned: 'He is going to make a nice three mile chaser one day.' Gino Carenza who joined Mick Easterby only a week ago rode his first winner for the Sheriff Hutton trainer when Noshinannikin ran out a very comfortable winner of the Woodpecker Cider Amateur Riders` Hands and Heels Handicap Hurdle. In these races the jockeys carriy whip but are allowed only to use them for `corrective purposes` and Carenza, 19, who hails from Broadway, near Cheltenham, certainly did not need to use his to encourage Noshinannikin to run faster. The seven-year-old beat Fifth Generation by nine lengths and he returned to the weighing-room Carenza said: 'That is my third winner in all and only my third ride for Mr Easterby.'
