Carraig Blue an easy Clonmel winner

Carraig Blue put himself in line for a possible trip to the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive success in the Jim Strang &…

Carraig Blue put himself in line for a possible trip to the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive success in the Jim Strang & Sons Peugeot Novice Hurdle at Clonmel today.

Always in the leading group as Sunami Storm set the pace, Carraig Blue was pushed into the lead before three out by 3lb claimer Michael Darcy.

The six-year-old, trained by Eamon Sheehy, bounded 20 lengths clear of Oulart to the delight of punters, who had made him the 9-4 favourite.

"There's no real plan at the minute," Sheehy said afterwards. "The further he goes the better. He'll make a lovely chaser next year. He's entered in the new three-mile novice hurdle (Brit Insurance Novice Hurdle) at Cheltenham but I might be a dreaming a bit."