Darren Skelton / 27 February 2009 Free Bet

Yes indeed, the 6:40 race is a bumper with a field of 18 horses, only three of which have previous race course experience. Usually when I'm writing my articles I don't give that much wordage to the National Hunt Flat races that adorn the back end of all of our jumps meetings so i'm in a bit of a quandary as to what to do with Dundalk tonight...i'll say it again...Three bumpers!!!

The problem i have with bumpers in Ireland, especially this season, is that everyone seems to be running scared of Willie Mullins. The man has a simply awesome record in these races this season but there hasn't been the usual opposition to him that we've seen in previous seasons from the likes of Noel Meade and Edward O Grady. Logically this means that we're questioning the form of all these Mullins bumper winners as it's questionable as to what they're beating. In saying that, it's hard not to be impressed with how these horses, and young Patrick Mullins, are winning this races and it's even harder to try and oppose them. In the first bumper tonight, Willie and Patrick team up with Lanyon Place, a Kalanisi gelding who's a half-brother to two horses who were multiple winners on the Flat in Italy. Rockcliffe is probably the best of those who have already had a run with a decent third behind Dermot Weld's Universal Truth at Punchestown earlier this month. He's entitled to be near the top of the market with the Mullins horse but I just find it too hard to oppose anything that Mullins sends out in these type of races.

I don't like to do this, in fear of it being called lazy journalism, but if they're going to throw three bumpers at me, and they already know how much words i usually dedicate to bumpers, than I'm going to have to respond in kind. In the 7:10 and 7:40 races at Dundalk tonight, Mullins has two more possible short ones, in Lady Chimera and Huckle Buck Shoe. I can't, in good conscience, select some unraced horse over these horses from such a powerful bumper winning stable so obviously I don't see these races as good betting opportunities. With a gun to my head though, I'd have no problem in select all three of Willie's horses.

We shall jump now to the 8:10 race and a fairly decent handicap with more horses who have shared their time between jumping hurdles and running on the level. My tentative selection for this is El Presidente who's currently available to back for small money at [14.50]. Mick Halford's gelding was running well over timber until he somewhat flopped at Punchestown back in January. He was carrying several penalties that day though and every horse can be forgiven a bad run in the circumstances. Like several of the horses in this race it looks like El Presidente is in this one as a little livener for him before he possibly tackles the Fred Winter at the Festival. In saying that there's a decent price on offer for this race and Paul Carberry is an interesting booking. In a race (and meeting to be honest) where it would probably make more sense to avoid betting altogether, I'm happy enough to select El Presidente as a small win and place option.

I'm a little offput by the name of the 8:40 race - DUNDALK ON-COURSE BOOKMAKERS RACE...it may well turn out to be a bookies race alright but I'd be fairly happy to take a risk on the fitness of Al Eile. This undoubted class and versatile performer will no doubt be out to defend his Aintree hurdle crown in April and if fit and fresh for tonight's race, will take all the beating. Green Tobasco has to give 5 pounds to Al Eile and I don't really think much of that horse anyway...some people would try and put course form as a reason to be enthusiastic about this horse but the form of his last 4 races here reads 8645 - Not a reason to be too enthusiastic in my opinion.

We'll stick with Al Eile. I like the look of Beau Michael in the 9:10 race because he always strikes me in his races over hurdles as a horse that just likes to bowl along and he sees the obstacles as more of an inconvenience to him than anything else. His last effort on the flat was back in October 08 where, like tonight, he seemed to have a fairly favourable handicap mark. He didn't do a whole lot that day to take advantage though but it's probably true to say that 1m2furlongs was too short for him...the extra two furlongs here will be most welcome and there isn't a whole lot of strength in depth here.

They should have made the last race a bumper, for the laugh like...They didn't though and the 9:40 race is another flat effort that may as well be a National Hunt race. Two miles One furlong is the trip and Haadaaf is an obvious candidate based on his flat rating of 60...when he was jumping hurdles off a rating of 126 it doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that he's been handed a winning opportunity here. The booking of Declan McDonagh of course will do his chances no harm whatsoever.

Good luck with your bets tonight at this, somewhat strange, Dundalk meeting.

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