The latest acceptors for the Grade 1 novice events and the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival have been unveiled. The tapes go up with the Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and a total of 66 horses remain engaged in the £100,000 contest, headed by Dunguib.

Very Impressive Dunguib

Last year’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper hero has been perfect over hurdles so far in his career and looks sure to start one of the hottest favourites at the Festival. Rite Of Passage, trained by Dermot Weld and third to Dunguib at the Cheltenham Festival last year, has the £100,000 Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs as his principal target.

The six-year-old is one of 69 acceptors for that event with Get Me Out Of Here another leading player, following his convincing defeat of seasoned handicappers in the totesport Trophy at Newbury. The championship contest for four-year-old hurdlers is the £100,000 JCB Triumph Hurdle on Friday March 19 for which 51 contenders go forward.

Among the market leaders are Edward O’Grady’s recent impressive Grade Two scorer Alaivan and Carlito Brigante, trained by Gordon Elliott.Also taking place on Friday, March 19 is the three-mile £100,000 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. Among the 61 acceptors for this event are Najaf and Tell Massini, a winner twice at Cheltenham already this season.

In the chase division, there are 36 entries remaining in the £150,000 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy over two miles on Tuesday, March 16. They include Feltham Novices’ Chase victor Long Run and leading Irish duo Captain Cee Bee, who won the 2008 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Sizing Europe. Long Run’s trainer, Nicky Henderson, has made no secret that the five-year-old’s much more likely target is the £150,000 RSA Chase on Wednesday March 17.

A total of 34 horses remain engaged in this event with Henderson also responsible for Burton Port and Punchestowns. Also taking place on Wednesday, March 17 is the £75,000 National Hunt Chase, for which there are 52 horses going forward.

Supreme Prices: 4-6 Dunguib, 8 Get Me Out Of Here, 10 Rite Of Passage, 12 Menorah, Oscar Whiskey, 14 Blackstairmountain, 20 Bellvano, Peddlers Cross, 25 General Miller, Loosen My Load, 33 Dan Breen, Flat Out, Ghizao, Morning Supreme, Pepe Simo, Salden Licht, 40 bar

Triumph Hurdle: 5 Alaivan, Mille Chief, 7 Carlito Brigante, 8 Secant Star, 14 Pittoni, 16 Advisor, Notus De La Tour, Super Kenny, Westlin Winds, 20 Me Voici, 25 Olofi, Orzare, Pistolet Noir, 33 Barizan, Cross Appeal, Gilded Age, According, Bothy, 40 bar

The racing world may soon be running out of superlatives for Dunguib (30-100 favourite) after Philip Fenton’s star won the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown without coming off the bridle.

Dunguib is 4/5 from Evens with Stan James for the Supreme Novices’ after his brilliant performance in the Grade 1 Novice at Leopardstown.

Supreme Novices Hurdle 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)


4-5 Dunguib
7 Menorah
14 Rite Of Passage
14 Bellvano
16 Oscar Whisky
16 Loosen My Load
16 Blackstairmountain
16 General Miller
20 Bar


Other reaction…

William Hill are now 4-5 from 10-11 about Dunguib’s chances in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle after the seven-year-old turned-in a bloodless victory in the Grade One Deloitte Novices’ Hurdle.

Not since Golden Cygnet’s victory in 1978 has a favourite started odds-on for the Grade One Cheltenham opener, when Edward O’Grady’s ill-fated hurdler annihilated the field with a 15-length victory.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’Dunguib is surely the number one Cheltenham banker for punters after another commanding performance today. His hurdling still lacks fluency at times, but his engine is unrivalled and whilst the comparisons with Golden Cygnet are flattering, they appear fully justified.’’



Spinal Research Supreme Novices’ Hurdle: 11-10 Dunguib, 8-1 Menorah, 14-1 Rite of Passage, 20-1 Bellvano, Blackstairmountain, Oscar Whisky, 25-1 General Miller, Ghizao, Loosen My Load, Peddlers Cross, Pepe Simo, 33-1 Dr Whizz, Manyriverstocross, Salden Licht, Vino Greigo, 40-1 Advisor, Arvika Ligeonniere, Dan Breen, Don’t turn Bach, Hollo Ladies, Notus de La Tour, Puyol, Washington Irvine, 50-1 Bar (EW 1/4 odds 1,2,3)

Trainer Philip Fenton is quietly confident ahead of Supreme Novices’ favourite Dunguib’s upcoming run in Sunday’s Grade 1 Deloitte Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Dunguib – in good form.

The seven-year old has been touted for the Cheltenham Festival’s opening contest since last year’s Champion Bumper triumph, and with three comfortable victories over timber under his belt, is a solid 5/4 to give punters a perfect start to the Festival on March 16.

“We’d like to think that he’s good enough to win on Sunday, and he’s as well as we can have him,” Fenton told sportinglife.com. He’s certainly not overtrained for Sunday, I assure you that, and then we can go straight from Sunday to Cheltenham.”

“The ground at Leopardstown will be as nice as he’s had it all year; it should be lovely ground. Dunguib is fresh, well, and ready to roll.”

Fenton has focused much of Dunguib’s work on his hurdling, which he feels is progressing nicely, but is fully aware that his charge is not yet the finished article.

“He’ll certainly have a school before he runs on Sunday and it’s fair to say he’s probably open to improvement.”

The Glenbower team display meticulous preparation when it comes to laying out Dunguib’s Festival preparations, and it is clear that they will not exert their star novice more than is necessary.

“I’m sure he’ll have a couple of easy days after the race, he has plenty of time on his side and he doesn’t take a huge amount of work. For that reason we’ll gradually wind him up towards the last three weeks before Cheltenham.”

Of course, a comfortable win at Leopardstown would automatically trigger calls for Dunguib to contest an already wide-open Champion Hurdle – but Fenton was keen to emphasise the quality of the field Dunguib would face.

“I’d say the Champion Hurdle is still very much at the back of my mind. We said we’d better cover all options and have him entered.

“With the way Solwhit won at Leopardstown, and of course with Go Native, the obvious route to take would be the Supreme Novices’.”

It appears that amongst all the hype, Fenton and his team are in unhurried and methodical mood, while all the time appreciating the brilliant performer they hold in their ranks.

Stan James left Sweeps Hill unchanged at 16/1 for the Supreme Novices’ hurdle (20/1 for the Ballymore) at the Cheltenham Festival after the Tony McCoy ridden five-year-old manitained his unbeaten record when landing today’s Punchestown opener.

Cheltenham Festival 2010 Betting News

Head of PR Charlie McCann: “The race turned into a four-furlong sprint and was a most unsatisfactory event, but Sweeps Hill did well to come again having been headed after the last. Runner up Some Present was left unchanged at 20/1 for the Supreme Novice and 16/1 for the Ballymore and the latter looks his more likely target although it would be foolish to read too much into a race run at a canter for the most part.”

Supreme Novices Hurdle 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

5-2 Dunguib
12 Rite Of Passage
16 Sweeps Hill (unchanged)
20 Lidar
20 Some Present (unchanged)
20 Luska Lad
20 Oscar Whisky
20 Manyriverstocross
20 Life Of Reilly
20 Lucky William
25s Bar

Ballymore Novice Hurdle 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

14 Rite Of Passage
16 Quel Esprit
16 The Betchworth Kid
16 Quantitativeeasing
16 Reve De Sivola
16 Luska Lad
16 Some Present (unchanged)
20 Sweeps Hill (unchanged)
20 Lucky William
20 Fionnegas
25s Bar