Dunguib Rerouted To Face Hurricane

Philip Fenton’s hugely popular hurdler Dunguib will miss his intended seasonal reappearance run on Saturday in the Limestone Lad Hurdle and will instead go head-to-head with current Stan James Champion Hurdle favourite Hurricane Fly in the Irish Champion Hurdle a week later, writes Elliot Slater.

The eight-year-old has met with hold-ups to his training schedule over the last couple of months as a result of the severe winter weather experienced in Ireland, and is still considered by connections to be one gallop short of race fitness. As well as Hurricane Fly, unbeaten in three outing so far this term, Dunguib could find himself facing Solwhit, Voler La Vedette and former champion hurdler Sublimity, in what will doubtless prove to be a key trial for the big race itself at the Cheltenham Festival on March 15th.

An outstanding novice hurdler last term, the gelded son of Presenting was seen as the Irish banker of the meeting at Cheltenham last year, lining up for the opening race of the fixture, the Supreme Novices’ hurdle, as odds-on 4/5 favourite in the Cheltenham odds having been unbeaten in four outings over hurdles, including two at Grade 1 level. His defeat at the hands of Menorah appeared a major disappointment at the time, but has subsequently proven to be very smart form in light of the winner’s achievements since.

Beaten again at Punchestown in April (behind Hurricane Fly) when probably over the top for the season, Dunguib’s return to action is eagerly anticipated by his many fans. A good effort at Leopardstown would almost certainly see his current ante-post odds for the big race at Cheltenham cut from the best price of 20/1 on offer at present, to less than half the price. The Gold Cup betting will be many punter’s obsession during the festival, but the Supreme Novices’ could be a race to watch.

A return to his best would be great for Dunguib, great for Irish racing and for the Champion Hurdle itself, which is already building up to be an absolute cracker.

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Dunguib 'on track' to return in the new year

Dunguib: Naas and Gowran Park among the options for Philip Fenton

  PICTURE: Caroline Norris  Dunguib 'on track' as Fenton maps out plans
 By Jessica Lamb 10:18AM 17 DEC 2010 CHAMPION HURDLE hopeful Dunguib is on course to return to the racecourse in the new year.

RELATED LINKS Champion Hurdlebetting Free bets  Possible starting points include the 2m3f Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on January 15 and the 2m Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park a month later. The Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 23 has also been discussed, but trainer Philip Fenton warns it would be “ambitious for a first run of the season”.

Fenton said: “He’s grand and I’m happy with him so far. The weather would have held him up anyway as, while we have been able to keep them all ticking over, I would have liked to have done a little bit more with him if he was to be running sooner.

“He’s on track, but where he runs will depend on how ready he is when these races come up. We’ll step up his work in the next few weeks."

Dunguib, a 20-1 shot for the Stanjames.com Champion Hurdle with the sponsor, won the 2009 Weatherbys Champion Bumper and began his hurdling career in October last year, winning his first four outings before contesting the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

In finishing third behind Menorah in the Supreme, Dunguib suffered defeat for the first time over hurdles. He was then beaten again on his final start last season when sixth to Hurricane Fly in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

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