O'Connell turns professional Dunguib's regular partner Brian O'Connell will turn professional this weekend when he takes the mount on the Phillip Fenton-trained gelding in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday. The Limerick amateur has ridden Dunguib in all seven outings todate including a breath-taking victory in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival and when successful on both hurdle starts this season. “It's not been an easy decision to turn professional as it is so competitive in Ireland with the likes of Ruby Walsh and Davy Russell. I've been thinking about it for a while but having a good trainer like Phillip Fenton to back me is a big help,' explained O'Connell, who has ridden over forty winners in the past four years. Looking forward to the 'Royal Bond' this weekend, the 3lb claimer added, “Dunguib has come through his first two hurdle races well, and moving up to a Grade 1 on Sunday will be a much stiffer test. He's by Presenting who normally like good ground but he's got so much class he can handle heavy ground.”
