Supreme Novice Hurdle Tip

Few will deny that Dunguib was anything other than sensational in the Deloitte Hurdle where the only points to crab were two sloppy jumps in the early stages but they can be put down to him being put to sleep at the back and he jumped well when asked to warm to his task. In terms of form, he didn’t do much different to when beating Some Present by a similar distance for a third time but he had even more of a swagger on this occasion and Philip Fenton has ended all speculation where he runs at the Festival confirming him to this race where he it is odds-on he will start at odds-on.

That awesome performance was probably enough to frighten a few more off rivals to the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle over 2m5f to ease his task further. Grey Soldier, who had previously chased home Rite Of Passage, also won at the weekend which increased his chances of travelling over but, other than that, it was a very quiet week on the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle front.

It was supposed to be the Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novices’ Hurdle at Punchestown on Monday that was going to give us some clues on whether there is anything to take Dunguib on with but Saludos and a desperately-disappointing Hollo Ladies, who had previously fought out a tight finish to the Grade 1 event at Leopardstown’s Christmas Meeting, were both turned over by at the tough Luska Lad who was only fourth in that same race.

Luska Lad’s trainer put the improvement down to returning to a right-handed track so therefore he all but virtually ruled out going to the Cheltenham Festival with him and his big aim will be back at Punchestown in the spring.

The most relevant action on the same card with regards to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle was the victory of Willie Mullins’ Blackstairmountain in the maiden hurdle. Weak beforehand in the market, he cruised to an impressive victory on his hurdling debut and the stable have twice won the ‘Supreme’ before and arguably should have won it three times if Adamant Approach had not capsized at the final flight in 2002.

If we go back to last February, Blackstairmountain walloped Hollo Ladies to win his first bumper by 18 lengths but arguably of more interest is that he was then second to Universal Truth on his next run last March and that horse topped the market for this season’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper until his trainer hinted he would not run.

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In a year where we seemingly have few realistic challengers to the favourite, Blackstairmountain has finally added some much needed interest into the race.

General Miller looked to get outstayed over an extended 2m4f at Cheltenham on Saturday which suggests that if he is to go anywhere at the Festival, it should be in this race but I am not sure how strong that form is and would rate him not good enough wherever he goes which, in turns, means that Ghizao, who he beat at Cheltenham, also looks a notch below what is required.