Dunboyne delivers despite 'PPPP' form-figures Dunboyne ended a long losing spell and ‘PPPP’ form-figures when causing a 66/1 upset on debut for trainer Ian Donoghue today, landing Navan’s BoyleSports Money Back On Every Race At Cheltenham Handicap Hurdle. Previously in the care of top trainer Gordon Elliott and beaten a short-head in the 2023 Thyestes Chase, Dunboyne had gone to the pack in recent runs but today was completely freshened up by Donoghue, whose background is in hunting. Despite starting at 163 (162/1) on Betfair, the ten-year-old raced prominently under James Smith and maintained a clear lead in the home straight, defeating Chosen Diamond by six lengths. Donoghue revealed "I was at Stephen (O’Connor, owner) last year when this horse was pulling up, hoping to get him as an Open point-to-point horse. We have had horses for Stephen for the last three or four years and when Dunboyne pulled up in Leopardstown during Christmas, he said he’d then try a change of scenery.” Donoghue, a brother of jockey Keith Donoghue, added “he has plenty of back class, was just beaten in a Thyestes and we said we’d give him a go over hurdles just to sweeten him up. We have been treating him like a hunter so he has been out hunting and enjoying life. "He came fit and we just tried something different: the Ulster National is next." Quotes from Michael Graham
