FAIRYHOUSE PREVIEW: HE MAY have had to wait 72 hours but Dunguib remains top-of-the-bill for today's rescheduled "Winter Festival" card at Fairyhouse.
Despite more rain yesterday, the Co Meath track has escaped the waterlogging that caused Sunday’s cancellation and although a lower attendance is expected this afternoon there is the big bonus of free admission. Such a perk has never been in place for such a prestigious card which is worth almost €350,000 and features three Grade One races.
It’s a measure of Dunguib’s potential though that the apparently least competitive of the trio, the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, will still be the most eagerly anticipated.
The original six declarations survive with both of Dunguib’s old bumper rivals, Sweeps Hill and Some Present, present and correct for a crack at the heavy odds-on favourite.
For many though the principal danger to the horse, who is already occupying “banker” status for Cheltenham in March, will be the heavy ground conditions.
However, his jockey, Brian O’Connell, kick-starting his professional career on the horse rated as good a bumper champion as any seen in a generation, was confident yesterday.
“Being by Presenting he is a good actioned horse and you would imagine he would be better on better ground,” O’Connell said. “But he has so much class he seems able to handle any ground and he has won on heavy on a few occasions.”
Dunguib’s trainer, Philip Fenton, reported yesterday: “It’s not really a problem that the race has moved and he has just been doing his routine canters.”
Two horses – China Rock and River Liane – have dropped out of the Drinmore Chase since Sunday but the big guns have stood their ground including the Noel Meade-trained pair, Jered and Pandorama, and the second-season novice Pesoto, who has headed the ante-post betting.
Testing ground conditions will be right up Alpha Ridge’s road while a stamina test will be ideal for Whatuthink. However, an increase in trip from his Navan debut behind Osana will also be suitable for Roberto Goldback who won’t have any problem with the going either.
Catch Me is attempting back-to-back victories in the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle while another previous winner, Aitmatov, is also returning for what is a poignant crack at the two-and-a-half-mile highlight after the recent death of his owner, John O’Meara.
The popular veteran Hardy Eustace is back for another try at the race but the dark horse in terms of potential remains Ninetieth Minute and it could be worth betting that Tom Taaffe’s horse can secure the most important victory of his career to date.
Lochan Lacha has been installed a 9 to 1 favourite by the sponsors for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and can warm up for that big target with a success in the three-mile handicap hurdle off a favourable mark for the smaller obstacles.
The Willie Mullins team are now hitting top-gear and Arvika Ligeonniere can make his first start in Ireland a winning one in the bumper. The ex-French horse was runner-up in a hurdle race at Auteuil last summer.
