Silver Streak To Take On Epatante In Fighting Fifth

The Evan Williams trained Silver Streak will hoping to land his first ever Grade One event as the grey is entered into the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle where he will take on the wonder mare Epatante.

The handler believes his star seven year old can finally make the jump up to landing a Grade One event having finish Third in a Champion Hurdle two seasons ago and finishing second in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.

Kempton seems to be a happy hunting ground for the gelding having landed back to back renewals off the Listed two miles hurdle contest on his seasonal debut.

However, although showing some serious ability with some nice performances, he was heavily outclassed on last year's renewal of the Fighting Fifth and with him looking to reverse the form with Epatante from Boxing Day he will have to be much better.

(Credit ATR) Williams said: “Silver Streak will go to Newcastle for the Fighting Fifth – then we will try to go for the Christmas Hurdle, which he was second in last year.

“He has been second and third in Grade Ones and you just hope he can win a Grade One.

“I might be silly and I might be trying too hard to make him do something that is difficult to achieve.

“I just think he deserves it because he has run so many nice races – it would be nice to have it on his CV.”

Williams is hoping that the seven year old can build on his seasonal debut at Kempton, where he went on to beat the likeable Verdana Blue with ease.

He added: “It was a performance at Kempton that you could only be happy with. He didn’t have a hard race, and it was good to blow the old cobwebs away.

“To get a run under your belt and win as you like helps a lot mentally, as well as physically.

“Wherever he goes next, it’s going to very difficult to win, but at least he is going there with a little bit of spice in him.”