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Racing News |
All Tranquil Sea in The Sunday Newspapers
15/11/09
Tranquil Sea dominated yesterday’s Paddy Power Gold Cup, and he was the centre of attention once again in today’s editions of the Sunday newspapers.
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Not only was the seven-year-old impressive, he was also Ireland’s first winner since 1980 of the famous race, and the team behind him thoroughly deserve the coverage he has created today. ‘Sea The Star’ is The Racing Post’s apt front-page headline, while The Sunday Telegraph’s view, above a cracking close-up photograph of Tranquil Sea and jockey Andrew McNamara and an article by Marcus Armytage, proclaims ‘Tranquil Sea packs the Power’. As Armytage reveals, with 18 winners O’Grady is the leading Irish trainer at Cheltenham’s Festival meeting, and 19 looks attainable after Tranquil Sea’s easy win.
The Sunday Express opts for ‘Sea change in Gold Cup’, while The Sunday Times leaves the puns out with a headline that says ‘Tranquil Sea is a class apart’. A colour spread in The News of the World includes a photograph of McNamara beaming and patting his mount down the neck - ‘Sea is star’ is the headline, while The Daily Star Sunday opts for ‘Sea Makes The Grade’.
‘Sea Delight’ is The Sunday Mirror’s take, followed by a sub-headline opining ‘Tranquil trounces his Cheltenham rivals’, while The Mail On Sunday brings a nautical flavour to the occasion with the statement ‘Sea’s plain sailing’. Correspondent Jonathan Powell reveals Tranquil Sea had narrowly avoided serious injury 18 months ago when getting loose after being spooked by a pigeon. “I thought he’d broken his shoulder,” O’Grady tells Powell.
Greg Wood, writing in The Observer, expands on this story, explaining Tranquil Sea was being turned out in a paddock when the incident occurred, ran back towards his stable and fell in the yard - triumph and tragedy seem to be habitual accomplices in the lives of some racehorses.
The Independent on Sunday’s ‘Tranquil Sea powers home to turn the tide for Irish raiders’ sits above a Sue Montgomery article that also looks ahead to Greatwood Hurdle day at Cheltenham - and more pertinently the return of Master Minded in the Connaught Chase. Montgomery quotes trainer Paul Nicholls saying his champion two-miler is “as big as a bullock” for his seasonal debut.
Gary Nutting, writing in The Sunday Mirror, says Well Chief’s 10lb pull gives him a chance of beating Master Minded, while Pegasus of The News of the World goes so far as to select the David Pipe-trained challenger. The Racing Post’s Lee Mottershead picks up this theme with the headline ‘Champion Chase hero returns but could he be vulnerable?’
Another Racing Post writer, Tom Segal (Pricewise), whose selections always lead to a shortening in their price, avoids the Connaught Chase and concentrates on the Greatwood Hurdle. ‘Trust the Irish with Raise Your Heart and Silverhand’ is the headline above Segal’s column, while the same newspaper prints details of Friday evening’s ‘Stars of the Future’ sale held at Cheltenham.
Edward Prosser’s report reveals that London stockbroker Charles Davies bought his first horse at the event for the not inconsiderable sum of £135,000. Sherwani Wolf will now join Nigel Twiston-Davies, said Davies, explaining: “You just visit the yard and it’s such great entertainment.” A bit like racing at Cheltenham, then.
