BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD put down a serious marker in the senior hurdling division by dethroning State Man in last weekend’s Morgiana Hurdle, and fellow rising stars Mystical Power and Sir Gino will attempt to do the same in today’s Grade 1 BetMGM Fighting Fifth Hurdle (2.10) at Newcastle.

Willie Mullins suggested he gave serious consideration to sending Mystical Power over fences this season, having finished last term with back-to-back Grade 1 wins at the Aintree and Punchestown Festivals.

However, connections instead opted to keep the blue-blooded son of Galileo and Annie Power to the smaller obstacles and he enters this weekend priced between 8/1 and 12/1 for the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

It’s intriguing to note that main rival Sir Gino’s odds for the Champion range between 4/1 and 7/1, yet bookmakers had the pair much closer than those odds suggested in the Fighting Fifth betting on Friday evening. The race sponsors made it 5/6 Sir Gino, 11/10 Mystical Power for Newcastle.

Mullins said: “It’s funny how the race cuts up. Originally, I thought Mystical Power would be about 10lb or 12lb wrong at the weights but he’s actually 2lb well-in with Sir Gino on last year’s juvenile and novice ratings. It will be a very interesting and informative race.”

He added: “I believe they were watering there during the week - Nicky [Henderson] must have rang them as we wouldn’t have wanted the water on for Mystical Power! He’ll go on the ground and is fit and well.”

Henderson only rerouted Sir Gino to the £115,000 contest after Constitution Hill was ruled out due to lameness, diverting his top-class four-year-old back from an intended chasing campaign.

“We’re in a very lucky position to have a supersub and he’s a very good horse,” said Henderson.

“He is such a fantastic jumper of a fence, but that is for another day. There’s nothing to say he still can’t switch [later on] and by gum, he is good over a fence, he is serious. But while I have the Fighting Fifth here, I’ve got to use it.”