DUNGUIB MAY be Ireland’s number one novice hope for next month’s Cheltenham Festival but a convincing performance by Rite Of Passage at Punchestown today will make him a clear number two.

Dermot Weld’s horse tackles seven opponents in the two-and-a-half-mile conditions hurdle which will see Rite Of Passage’s stamina tested ahead of the festival.

Weld has not fully committed his November Handicap winner to Cheltenham just yet but that hasn’t stopped bookmakers making Rite Of Passage a 5 to 1 favourite for the Neptune Investments Novices’ Hurdle (2m 5f).

The chestnut grandson of the legendary mare Dahlia is also as low as 12 to 1 for the two-mile Supreme but with Dunguib looking to dominate that event, today’s stamina test could result in Rite Of Passage going for the longer race.

This will be no straight-forward assignment, however, as the Grade One-placed Healys Bar represents a 144-rated challenge while The Kings Sword is in winning form.

“He has a tough assignment with Healy’s Bar. That’s a fair rating so it is going to be a stiff task for our horse,” Weld said yesterday.

However, it will be disappointing if the highly-rated Weld runner, and his amateur partner Robbie McNamara, can’t make it two from two over hurdles.

The former Grade One winner, Won In The Dark, may not relish the forecast soft ground but on ratings Sabrina Harty’s horse is clear of his opposition in the second conditions hurdle.

Kerb Appeal was an impressive jumping newcomer at Navan on Sunday and Willie Mullins introduces another smart bumper performer in Flat Out to jumps in the maiden hurdle.

The Listowel and Galway winner is worth checking out while No One Tells Me can regain winning form in the two-and-a-half-mile hurdle.