AFTER watching Tranquil Sea come up the hill at Cheltenham to win the Paddy Power Gold CupI I am far from surprised that he has been allocated top weight in the Grade Three £150,000 Boylesports.com Gold Cup, run over two miles and five furlongs at Cheltenham on Saturday, December 12, the second day of the Boylesports International.

Tranquil Sea will carry 11st 12lb. Trained in Ireland by Edward O'Grady, Tranquil Sea was successful last time out in the Grade Three Paddy Power Gold Saturday, November 14, becoming the first Irish-trained horse to win that contest since Bright Highway in 1980.

Sponsors Boylesports have opened the market on the Boylesports.com Gold Cup and make Tranquil Sea the 6/1 favourite. If successful, the seven-year-old would become the ninth horse to win both the Boylesports.com Gold Cup and the Paddy Power Gold Cup and only the fourth to complete the double in the same season.

One horse heading to the Boylepsports.com Gold Cup is Mount Oscar (10st 9lb), trained by Westcountry trainer Colin Tizzard.

One of the most improved horses in training, Mount Oscar has won on his last two starts, in a beginners' chase at Fontwell and in a competitive handicap at Newbury on November 28. The 10-year-old is a 14/1 chance with Boylesports.

Colin Tizzard says: "We are hoping to run Mount Oscar in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup. I can't believe what he has achieved already this season and he looks in the form of his life so we decided to give him a chance in a top handicap chase.

"I thought that Paddy Brennan was very cool on him at Newbury — he didn't really have a real go at the horse until halfway up the run-in and Mount Oscar stayed on well. I think that he will stay three miles in time but he also seems to have plenty of pace to go with it."

Poquelin (11st 6lb, 7/1) finished the four-and-a-half length runner-up behind Tranquil Sea in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and could now re-oppose that rival on 4lb better terms.

The six-year-old is one of champion trainer Paul Nicholls's three possibles along with Chapoturgeon (11st 8lb, 7/1), an early faller in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but successful in the Listed Jewson Novices' Handicap Chase at The Festival last season, and Gwanako (11st 10lb, 10/1).

Tamarinbleu (11st 8lb, 10/1) caused the biggest-ever upset in the race when winning the 2007 Boylesports.com Gold Cup at 22/1 and is one of four possible runners for Nicholashayne trainer David Pipe alongside Our Vic (11st 10lb, 20/1), who was last seen out when finishing sixth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, Pablo Du Charmil (11st 5lb, 16/1), Seven Is My Number (10st 8lb, 10/1) and I'm So Lucky (10st 4lb).

Tranquil Sea had good form going into the Paddy Power and, although raised 13lbs for that notable success, will still run a fine race and has even more improvement in him.