WITH SIX favourites winning at Leopardstown yesterday, including Tranquil Sea’s Grade Two victory, and a near 15 to 1 treble for the Ruby Walsh-Willie Mullins team, punters will be hoping the results are a positive omen for the upcoming Cheltenham festival.
Edward O’Grady was hoping to strike the perfect balance between winning but without having a hard race in the Newlands Chase and Tranquil Sea didn’t fluff a line ahead of his Ryanair Chase attempt in 16 days’ time.
“It’s not often things go as much to plan as that but it’s great when they do,” O’Grady admitted afterwards. “It was a delicate act beforehand. We wanted to win but without having to work hard and it has worked out.”
O’Grady’s original plan was to work Tranquil Sea after racing but he said: “The owners decided he might as well be running for 26 grand as schooling in the dark. I hope he comes on for that and if he improves he must have a shout at Cheltenham.” The bookmaker response was to cut Tranquil Sea to a 5 to 1 second favourite for the Ryanair while O’Grady’s Shot From The Hip entered Cheltenham bumper calculations at 12 to 1 with Powers after a very impressive win under JP Magnier in the last yesterday.
Ruby Walsh’s day started with King Of The Refs getting beaten in the opener but things improved dramatically for the champion jockey with three winners including Citizen Vic who may have yet earned a Cheltenham ticket. “I had been thinking of the Powers Gold Cup and he probably will still go there,” said Willie Mullins after Citizen Vic’s novice chase defeat of See U Bob. “But he settled much better there so we will have a think about the RSA. He is bred to get a trip and the only problem had been him settling.”
Cadspeed ended a run of four seconds by landing the second maiden hurdle while Tarkari had too much for Jigalo in the closing stages of the handicap to earn 14 to 1 quotes for the County Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Won In The Dark has a selection of Grade One options after confirming his current wellbeing with an ultra-smooth victory under Davy Russell in the Ballsbridge Hurdle. Sabrina Harty’s diminutive son of Montjeu travelled almost too well throughout the race and cruised three lengths clear of Head Of The Posse. “He’s not used to going that bit slower and he nearly annoyed himself but he is very fresh in himself right now,” said Harty, who emphasised Won In The Dark’s preference for quicker ground. “I wouldn’t mind going against anything on good ground,” Harty added in reference to the Champion Hurdle. “But he’s only tiny and if it’s soft at Cheltenham we might wait for Aintree. Two and a half miles on good ground would be good for him.”
Stewarts House’s options appear to be the Irish Grand National or the Topham over the big fences at Aintree after the Arthur Moore-trained 9 to 2 favourite managed to hold off the topweight Arbor Supreme in the Carrickmines Handicap Chase.
“Depending on the topweight, the Irish National is a possible. He is settling better now,” said Moore, who longer term didn’t rule out a tilt at the midsummer highlight, the Galway Plate. The Naas trainer could have two runners at Cheltenham, Native Clan in the Jewson Novices Handicap Chase and Plaisir D’Estruval in the Byrne Group Plate.
