Harris mulling options for Cheltenham victor Mullenbeg

Mullenbeg could bypass the Champion Bumper and wait for Aintree, according to her trainer Milton Harris.

The five-year-old kept her unbeaten record with victory in the Listed Alan Swinbank Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Her authoritative five-and-a-half-length success over Fairy Gem earned 25-1 quotes from most firms for the Champion Bumper back at the Prestbury Park track on March 16.

However, Harris could keep his powder dry and wait for Aintree three weeks later.

“Mullenbeg is fine this morning,” said the Warminster handler. “She has taken her race well.

“Everyone wants to crab the result, as the Willie Mullins horse (Nos Na Gaoithe) didn’t run her race and obviously something went wrong, but she has run twice for me and she has been very impressive.

“She is decent and while she doesn’t show that much at home, often they are the best ones.

“We have had a few offers for her, but whether the owners will sell her or not, I don’t know.

“The obvious target is the Aintree mares’ bumper (April 7), but I have another one for that – that’s the problem.

“I have the horse who won at Wincanton, Rosy Redrum. She is different. Mullenbeg is National Hunt-bred and the other one is Flat-bred.

“Possibly we could look at the Champion Bumper as she has a mares’ allowance, but the other race could be at Sandown for Mullenbeg. But the only worry with that is that it is generally awful ground at that time of year.

“I would say we will work back from the Aintree bumper and she will have a run before that.”