Gordon Elliott expects a tougher show jumping test to bring out the best in Romeo Coolio when he lines up for the BAR 1 Betting Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
The six-year-old is a Grade 1 winning novice hurdler who made his debut over fences at Down Royal at the end of October and won by a whopping 14 lengths from subsequent Florida Pearl runner-up Koktail Divin.
Four fences were removed during that race and Elliott thinks Romeo Coolio will be even better if more jumping is required.
Elliott said: “He’s in good form and we’re very happy with him. In terms of hurdles he’s way off and although Willie’s (Mullins) horse, Gold Dancer, was very good on the last day, I think our horse is in a good place and should run well.
“He’s a good horse. At Down Royal they had to work around a few, but I think jumping hurdles is going to be a real success for him.”
Elliott has also entered Pied Piper in the same race, with Mullins leading the Scottish national winner Captain Cody, who maintains his partnership with Harry Cobden, as well as the Paul Townend-ridden Gold Dancer. The field is completed by Tom Gibney’s Raffles Dolce Vita and Eoin Griffin’s Ol Man Dingle.
Elliott has three from six in the BAR 1 Betting Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, with Teahupoo alongside Maxxum and Casheldale Lad bidding for a third win in four years.
Teahupoo is owned by Brian Acheson’s Robcour, with the owner saying: “I’m not sure he gets the credit he deserves and if it wasn’t for Bob Olinger last year he would have won the Stayers’ Hurdle again and would be going for three in a row at Cheltenham this year.
“Ballyburn is a good horse and he has to show that he is still at that level. He is getting a bit older, but hopefully we are on track.”
“Gordon has him fit and well and we will take our chance and may the best horse of the day win.”
In the Bar 1 Betting Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, Noel Meade will run Blake, a former Flat performer who was rated 94 at his peak and has mastered his new discipline well in two runs so far.
Last seen winning a Down Royal girls’ hurdle after finishing second on debut, he moves up the order to try and emulate Iktitaf and Muirhead, former winners who were both trained by Meade and owned by Pat Sloan.
Meade said: “He is in great form and we have been very happy with him since his last run.
“It was probably a blessing in disguise that he didn’t win the first day of hurdles so early in the season and he did everything right for us.
“He’s going to a fight opportunity on Sunday and we’ll find out more about him then.”
Competing in the same race is Elliott’s Kocktail Brut, who won his hurdles debut by nine lengths after previously being a smart bumper horse.
Elliott said of his debut: “He won well and he’s improving too. He’s a smart horse and Danny (Gilligan) was happy with him too.”
A field of seven has assembled for the BAR 1 Betting Juvenile Hurdle, with Elliott’s Mange Tout and Mullins’ Narciso Has leading the way.
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