Baby-faced William Dunlop is hoping that his father Robert’s memory will shine down on him when he rides in the 250cc class at the Ulster Grand Prix over the Dundrod circuit today.

William is a soft spoken lad and anything but bombastic so he feels deeply the absence of his late father who was killed in practice for the North West 2000 in May.

"Last year I won this class at the Ulster and I was delighted that my dad was there to watch. He was so proud of me and it made up for the fact that the race was run in dreadful conditions of wind and rain.

"Since Dad’s death at the North West I have been looking at racing differently. I still feel the same about it in that I like to do my best and win if I can but at the same time I’m more aware than ever what can happen out on a racetrack. You’re here one second and gone the next.

"Dad was a great champion of the Ulster Grand Prix and he loved to race here. Look at all those years when he and my uncle Joey dominated the 125cc class. I doubt there’ll be anything like this in the immediate years to come."

Since last year’s 250cc win William has moved on and is now one of the big favourites at the meeting.

His fans expect him to win the 250cc class today and he too is reasonably confident of delivering the goods.

"I always like it round here and I get a kick out of racing round what is after all a rider’s circuit.

"I’ll be hoping for some opposition naturally from my brother Michael who was third behind me in practice.

“In addition Ian Lougher who is another regular campaigner will be close for he was second to me in the final laps."

William therefore gives the impression that he is confident that Michael will be unhappy at the fact that he was beaten in the 125cc class on Thursday and beaten with consummate ease by Lougher.

Michael didn’t get a start of any description after having had to go to the back of the grid because he hadn’t qualified.

He told me after the race in which he finished third: "I might as well have stayed at home. The bike just wasn’t up to the task.

“I’ve been winning races all year and now I find I’m nowhere at the race I wanted to pick up most of all — the Ulster Grand Prix."

Whether or not Michael succeeds in the 250 class remains to be seen but he is a determined performer as he showed when winning this race at the North West 200 only two days after his father’s death.

The big man in the 250cc class today and the man who will give the Dunlops most to think about is John McGuinness who has already won on this course.

McGuinness finished fourth in practice and it would be no surprise if he added another success.

He told me: "This is a hard course to know and the rain doesn’t help either. But hopefully I’ll get a decent run and I may actually win this race and if I do so it will perform wonders for my confidence."

Lougher is the man to beat but he said to me: “I’m watching the two Dunlops. It’s hard to win when they’re around."

Lougher of course has 13 wins round the Ulster Grand Prix course and that’s a lot of victories.

It puts him head and shoulders above most riders and he is the sort of veteran who appears to go on forever.

It will be tough for William to retain his crown from last year but as he reminded me: "Don’t forget, Dad is watching!"