George Baker will have a rare runner at Dundalk tonight when he runs Guard Of Honour in the €24,000 two-mile handicap.
The six-year-old is no stranger to Irish long distance handicaps, having been pipped in the 2015 Irish Cesarewitch and Leopardstown November Handicap, and he was a honourable fourth in last year’s renewal of the latter on his return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He has limited experience on the all-weather but has shown enough in four starts to suggest he handles it well enough and Colin Keane, who rode him into second in the Irish Cesarewitch, is back on board.
Heading the home team are Winter Lion and Venezia, who were first and second respectively over course and distance in November, although Venezia improved past his rival when they were third and sixth over a mile-and-a-half subsequently and Mick Halford’s stayer may emerge as the big threat to Guard Of Honour.
Red Avenger has been a revelation since moving over from Britain and bids to make it three from three for Damian English in the one mile Dundalk Racing Club Handicap.
The admirably consistent Chestnut Fire was only a nose behind him last time and renews rivalries on slightly better terms, but Red Avenger, despite an 11lb handicap climb, can extend his sequence here, possibly at the expense of The Mouse Doctor.
Halford, who trains Chestnut Fire, should earlier have taken the three-year-old mile maiden with Time Constraints. Just denied over seven furlongs here last time behind November Tale when he dead-heated for second with the reopposing Jackmel, the son of Gio Ponti will appreciate the extra furlong.
Honour Roll, fitted with a first-time tongue-tie is interesting and of course Jakmel comes into the picture again.
I feel that Time Constraints should deal with him this time and would suggest that the Dermot Weld filly Young Special and Joseph O’Brien’s Perlexity are bigger threats to Halford’s runner here.
The action gets underway with a low-grade handicap sprint, in which familiar foes Strategic Force and Red All Star do battle once more.
Upped 9lb for two recent seconds in similar company, Strategic Force has a decent draw to work from and might get his turn despite carrying top weight.
The ex-Godolphin inmate Mulzamm is undoubtedly flattered by his current rating of 97 but has his sights lowered considerably in the mile claimer and is difficult to oppose. Burn The Boats might chase him home.
Buddha Boy attempts to follow up last month’s breakthrough success in the three-year-old seven-furlong handicap. He races off an identical mark but the majority of his opponents have been eased 6lb recently and the likes of Rounding and Pronounced are of interest now.
