Dunguib looks special in Bumper

Another great day for Irish-trained horses was capped off when Dunguib pulverised his 23 rivals in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

A first Festival winner for 22-year-old Limerick rider Brian O'Connell, the six-year-old gelding was well-backed from 7/1 to 9/2 before turning in a most impressive display.

The Philip Fenton-trained gelding made smooth headway before quickening clear in the straight to beat Some Present by ten lengths, with 5/2 favourite Rite Of Passage another three quarters of a length back in third.

'Brian rode him with plenty of confidence. Hopefully we might bring him back here again next year for the two-mile race (Supreme). He's something to look forward to, and I'm sure we'll be doing plenty of celebrating,' said Fenton.

O'Connell added, 'He was always good at home and his last two runs have been very good. I came here thinking he had every chance and to be honest I would have been disappointed if he had been beaten.'

'He travelled great and settled well, and I was just a passenger more than anything. That was a very good bumper on paper and it rode a good bumper, but my lad never seemed to come out of third gear. He's definitely the best I've sat on.'