Both hands of the clock point to these Irish bumper horses making a big impact

Punters will often debate the merits of the clock against a visual impression that can be interpreted with expertise but there is no question sectionals and times are of particular use when it comes to bumpers.

Irish bumpers are invariably slowly run, which makes them difficult to assess with the naked eye as moderate horses will finish relatively close to the winner, and when they are run at a strong gallop they can lead to grossly exaggerated winning distances. Also, the lack of form makes it difficult to gauge what a horse achieved regardless of the manner of victory. However, that's where sectionals come in handy.

Bumper times can be compared to hurdle races on the same card, allowing around 0.5-0.6sec for each hurdle jumped, and they demonstrate the merit of a few recent winners.