after another long break, fiveforthree returned in a two-mile hurdle at wexford racecourse on 17 march 2009 and won by seven lengths at odds of 4/9. he visited england for the third time on 4 april when he contested the grade i aintree hurdle over two and a half miles at the grand national meeting. with ruby walsh riding the paul nicholls-trained celestial halo, fiveforthree was ridden by paul townend and started at odds of 7/1 in a field which included al eile, katchit, hardy eustace, solwhit and jered. he took the lead approaching the final hurdle but was caught 75 yards from the line and beaten half a length by solwhit. fiveforthree was reunited with ruby walsh in the three mile world series hurdle at punchestown on 30 april. before the race, mullins said of the grey "he is bred to get the trip... [and] is in very good form". walsh held up the 5/4 favourite at the back of the field before making steady progress to challenge for the lead at the last. he drew away from his rivals on the run-in and won by seven lengths from pettifour. after the race walsh said; "he is a really high class horse and won well - he proved today that he can stay. he got very warm and he has jumped better in the past but he has a great engine". mullins indicated that the horse would almost certainly be campaigned in steeplechases in future, saying "he was bred to be a chaser but i didn't think he was going to be big enough to be a chaser. he will go chasing next year as i don't see any point in staying over hurdles".