Elliott matches Down Royal feat as Romeo Coolio shines on chase debut

Trainer Gordon Elliott said Romeo Coolio will run in the Group 1 Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025 - 17:07

John Ryan

On a day which started with a bump, Gordon Elliott matched last year’s achievement of saddling four winners on the opening day of Down Royal’s festival meeting, highlighted by the smooth chase debut success of 150-rated hurdler Romeo Coolio.

Although the three fences in the ‘straight’ were omitted, Romeo Coolio produced a very solid display to slam Koktail Divin by 14 lengths in the BetVictor Beginners Chase.

“It was disappointing the three fences were omitted because he was really, really good at the fences we jumped,” said winning rider Jack Kennedy. “Long or short, he can do it all.”

And Elliott added, “I’m delighted with him – he couldn’t do any more. He got close to a few fences and popped. Jack was very happy with him. I’d say two and a half miles is his trip and he’ll go straight to the Group 1 Drinmore.”

Earlier, Elliott had withdrawn Grade 1 winner The Yellow Clay from the listed Bottlegreen Hurdle but won it, instead, with 1/4 shot Casheldale Lad, who made all to beat Royal Hollow by seven lengths. It was thefirst leg of a double for Jack Kennedy and third leg of Elliott’s haul.

Casheldale Lad was following-up a success in a valuable handicap in Listowel, prompting Elliott to comment, “For a horse that used to be keen, Jack said he is so laid-back, that he was idling in front the whole way. We have lots of options for him, including the Greatwood’(in Cheltenham) and the Morgiana.”

Elliott’s other winners were 12/1 shot Creadan Grace, who prevailed in a three-way photo for the 0-100 three-mile handicap hurdle and point-to-point winner Skerry Hill who made all on his racecourse debut to justify 4/7 favouritism in the bumper, Harry Swan’s mount seeing off Hopeful Hero.

It was also a good day for Henry de Bromhead and Darragh O’Keeffe, who completed a double which included the all-the-way success of Full Of Life, reverting to hurdling, in the Grade 3 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle.

The 9/1 shot held off favourite Carrigmoornaspruce by a length and a quarter, with Korinthia a close third.

“She’s a great jumper and we decided to make it a test,” said O’Keeffe, “It was a good call to bring her back over hurdles. She won well and could stay over hurdles for a while, before she goes back chasing.”

The first leg of the double came in very fortuitous circumstances in the opening maiden hurdle, when odds-on favourite Theflyingking, in the Romeo Coolio colours and in command, stepped at the final flight and crashed on landing, also causing stable-companion Kazansky to hit the deck (his rider Sam Ewing remounted and was subsequently suspended for one day).

This drama left De Bromhead’s Some Song, winner of his only point-to-point, to win, unchallenged, by 18 lengths from Juke Hill, on his racecourse debut.