THREE of the first seven horses home in last season's Champion Hurdle are set to clash in the premier hurdles race of the year at Newcastle.

Twelve horses are entered for tomorrow's £50,000 Pertemps Fighting Fifth Hurdle, including last year's winner and runner-up.

Newcastle racecourse's general manager David Williamson said: "It's a very high quality entry for the principal hurdles race of our 2002/3 National Hunt season. It should be a cracking event."

Last year's winner Landing Light is re-opposed by the runner-up The French Furze, trained in Cumbria by Nicky Richards.

Landing Light comes north from Nicky Henderson's yard in Lambourn. Fifth in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival nine months ago, the horse is currently 20-1 to win the 2003 renewal.

Marble Arch was second last March and he's also set for the Fighting Fifth, while Intersky Falcon - trained by former top jockey Jonjo O'Neill - is a fascinating entry. He comes to Newcastle after winning the valuable Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock Park in May.

The champion trainer Martin Pipe is sending a horse all the way from his West Country base. Mr Cool - seventh in the Champion Hurdle - was very narrowly defeated at Ascot last week by French sensation Baracouda, the winner of last season's Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham and red-hot favourite for a repeat.

The first race tomorrow is scheduled for 12.15. Admission is £10 to Tattersalls and £15 to the Members Club. Accompanied children under 16 enter free, while senior citizens, disability pensioners, 16-18-year-olds and students with appropriate identification receive a £2 discount into each enclosure.

More details about racing at Newcastle at www.newcastle-racecourse.co.uk.