The highly-regarded Dunguib confirmed himself as a red-hot favourite for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at next year’s Cheltenham Festival after a superb winning debut over jumps at Galway on Sunday.

Philip Fenton’s six-year-old was emphatic in the CCTV Venue Control Maiden Hurdle and cantered to victory at odds of 1/7.

A delighted Fenton explained: “That was excellent - a nice introduction to hurdles and it'll be onwards and upwards from here. He'd probably settle better in a quicker run race. He was far from a natural when he started schooling but we schooled him over all sorts.

"He was schooled as early as after Cheltenham. We've no immediate plans but the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse next month would be an obvious target or maybe a winners of one somewhere.

"He has bundles of pace and two miles is probably far enough for him."

Paddy Power believed that the performance confirmed what punters already knew and left the powerhouse unchanged as a 3/1 favourite for the race.

Punters who think that Paddy Power’s 3/1 is a good bet should take advantage of the free bet the Irish firm are offering on any of the Cheltenham antepost markets.