Dunguib looking value for the Champion Hurdle?

The Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival looks to be a betting bloodbath as there are four or five superb horses who look like winning. Mr Chambers digs his way through through the formbook and takes a look.

The Champion Hurdle is bubbling up into a classic renewal as all the main protagonists’ breeze through their prep runs with aplomb. Recently, bloodless wins from reigning champion Binocular, Peddlers Cross, Menorah and Hurricane Fly have all staked their claim for favouritism in a wide open affair.

However, a somewhat forgotten horse put his credentials into the mix at Gowran Park as Philip Fenton’s Dunguib made a hotly-anticipated return to the track. The former Champion Bumper winner was all the rage going into last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle but had to settle for third behind Menorah and Get Me Out Of Here.

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He went off 4/5 favourite for Tuesday’s curtain-raiser last year but found himself trying to catch Menorah up the straight and the Phillip Hobbs’ runner was not for stopping. However, he only finished about two lengths behind the six-year-old that day and with him now 5/1 with most firms the 14/1 about Dunguib could be the each way value of the race.

After the festival he went off 5/2 favourite for the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown but finished a lowly sixth behind Hurricane Fly. Nevertheless, his reappearance after a lengthy layoff was one of pure class as he careered away from the decent Luska Lad by three-and-a-half lengths.

Fenton has already touted that the eight-year-old will come on leaps and bounds for the run and if you use the form line with Menorah in last year’s Supreme he has to stand an excellent chance.

On paper, Menorah has the best form in the book going into the race on March 15 and if some of the leading lights fail to perform then at 14/1 Dunguib could be the answer for each way punters.