Dunguib

Philip Fenton has confirmed that his star hurdler Dunguib will be saved for the second half of the season, in order to have him at his peak for the major prizes in the spring.

The top class bumper performer barely came off the bridle in his four appearances over obstacles last winter but was then beaten at odds-on in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, before finishing only sixth in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

Fenton said: “Everything is fine, he’s in good form and we’re very happy with him. He’s just cantering away at the moment and we made the decision that he wouldn’t start off until after Christmas because we don’t want to run him in heavy ground again.”

He added: “We just think that the second half of the season is more important than the first half, so hopefully we’ll see him some time in January.

“The Irish Champion Hurdle might be ambitious for his first run but that might be an option, we’ll just have a look and see nearer the time. I’ve still got every faith in him and he’s in brilliant order.”

good news

Form with Menorah looks good now

Dunguib is very unlikely to realise his huge potential while under his present care.Fenton isnt setting the world alight as a trainer and with O Connell aboard again,peoples expectations are not going to be too high.There has to be a chance that he wont see the track at all this year.

Indeed, I'd say he's nothing to lead him, Weld would love him, on what he did to ROP all be it carrying jumps weights, I'd love to see him in an Irish Ledger.

bettet combination than the tizzards imo.

Dundalk, that is like saying being kicked in the face is better than being kicked in the balls.

with my balls it certainly would be preferrable.roflmao.

Thanks BJG

He should be campaigned on the flat, he is not a natural jumper and likely to break down. Plenty of opportunities in  Cup races. If that doesn't work revert to the NH.

Former star bumper performer Dunguib is on course to return to the racecourse in the new year.

His reappearance has yet to be decided but the 2m3f Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on January 15 and the 2m Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park a month later are possibilities. The Grade 1 BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 23 has also been discussed, but trainer Philip Fenton believes it would be “ambitious for a first run of the season”.

Fenton added: “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 was a hugely impressive winner of the 2009 Cheltenham Bumper, beating subsequent Ascot Gold Cup winner Rite Of Passage. However he never proved a natural over hurdles last season despite winning all his races up until the Supreme Novices Hurdle where he finished third to Menorah. He ended the season with a sixth place behind Hurricane Fly at Punchestown.

I think Philip Fenton is clueless on what to do or how to campaign this horse. This season will be the make or break for Dunguib. His champion bumper wins in 09 were ultra impressive. Started 09/10 campaign in fine style winning 4 times all in heavy conditions, coasting home against nothing. The supreme at cheltenham this year he was giving an awful lot to do and his jumping was atrocious. At Punchestown in the Irish CH he looked as raw as ever running freely through out. Connections have a good point of giving him a shorter campaign than last year, making his seasonal debut after christmas. "Our plan is to start him off around Christmas time and hopefully he will be at his best around Cheltenham and Punchestown, rather than going off the boil. We just felt a combination of a couple of those things didn't help him last season, so we'll start him a little later and see how we go." This is a good point, 4 races in heavy going before cheltenham is alot for a novice but I think sorting out his jumping should be the no.1 priority. Let the horse be in the peak of his powers in the spring..

I think hes overpriced on his form with menorah and the way he raced that day......if only they could teach him to jump

His jumping wasn't his downfall at Cheltenham,the fact that he was too far back and ran about a furlong further than everything else were the main reasons,while his jumping may not be champion hurdle material,it's not that bad

i think with the extra year behind him he just could be the one to surprise everyone . if he's improved in the jumping stakes and thats all he really has to do , he could be a monster this season .   he's the forgotten horse of ireland .

he is truly the forgotten horse, if you remember he was the spotlight to the run up to cheltenham this year, every cheltenham preview surrounded him. Hope he comes back with a bang and answer the critics. McCritical (McCrirrick) is a mouth. To P. Fenton, sort this horses jumping out and we could have a fair Irish CH contingent for Binocular to deal with; Dunguib, HF, Solwhit, Quevega maybe, sure throw in Raise Your Heart aswell [smiley:crazy]

Don't think Raise Your Heart will be making it across the water this year fly!!

i remember last xmas at leop watching this fellow win and i turned to sat flight whos jaw had dropped open , and said its a long time since i've seen a novice that good .  i still think he can reach the top .

Every horse has 6 foot on him already and it'll stay that way