Sea strikes oil again at Clonmel

Tranquil Sea had little difficulty following up last year’s win in the Clonmel Oil Chase at the County Tipperary track.

Edward O’Grady’s charge led two out and pulled away to score by four lengths from Psycho, with Tharawaat 10 lengths back in third and Leanne last of the four runners.

Tharawaat made the running but he was hassled all along for the lead by Leanne with Tranquil Sea and Psycho in touch.

Tranquil Sea hit a flat spot on the second circuit, but once the race began in earnest the 5-4 favourite responded to Barry Geraghty’s urgings on his first start since unseating in the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup in May.

The nine-year-old’s next target is likely to be the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown next month, which he also won last year.

O’Grady said: “I had it in my mind that if he won here today that he would go back for the John Durkan and he’ll probably go there now.

“If he had been beaten I was thinking of the Grand Sefton at Aintree.

“Barry said he took a blow across the top and missed one but he got his lungs filled coming down the hill.

“I was very disappointed when he schooled at Punchestown recently but he had done two very nice pieces of work since.

“If I hadn’t seen him at Punchestown I would have fancied him a lot today.”