Easy for Etait in Clonmel Oil It proved straight-forward for Il Etait Temps on his return to action as he gave Willie Mullins a tenth success in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase this afternoon. Paul Townend held the 2/9 shot up in rear in the early stages and he was third after a few fences as Intense Raffles dropped to the back and was niggled along. Townend moved into second over the fourth last on the hotpot and he closed on front-runner Senecia from the next. Il Etait Temps cruised to the front turning for home in the two-and-a-half mile contest and popped the last two fences for an effortless 18 length success. Townend said:- "He was very settled early on, and for a long way I wondered if he was too settled. “I thought Mark (Walsh, on second-running Gentleman De Mee) would lead me further but two jumps put me on the back of the leader, and then he woke up. "To me he was just quicker than the opposition and I wanted to delay leading for another three furlongs, but he took the lead before I wanted to at all. He settled it quickly and was ready to do it today, but there'll be more improvement in him. "Willie's plan before he left (for America and Australia) was the Tingle Creek." He added:- "We always thought an awful lot of him but he didn't jump hurdles well. He is only a handy-sized horse but jumps fences economically and well. “The engine was always there but he had been hard on himself and it has taken him time to mature and us time to figure him out." Paddy Power made the winner a 5/1 shot (from 6/1) for the Champion Chase and also trimmed him into 10/1 (from 14/1) for the Ryanair Chase. (Quotes by Tom Weekes)
