Romeo Coolio can complete chasing hat-trick

Elsewhere on the Leopardstown card, Doctor Du Mesnil gets the nap to take the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle.

EXCITING TALENT: Romeo Coolio en route to a runaway win in the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse. Picture: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Leopardstown, Limerick, and Down Royal keep the racing brigade busy on St Stephen’s Day and in the feature at the Foxrock venue, the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase, it is difficult to look beyond Romeo Coolio.

Gordon Elliott’s horse has begun his chasing career in tremendous fashion, following up a beginners’ chase success with a runaway victory in the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

While the latter may have been a modest affair for the level, there was an authority about the performance which suggested he would have little trouble taking on the best of the winter brigade. This is a step toward doing just that and he can complete his chasing hat-trick.

Salvator Mundi may be a Grade One winner over hurdles but his debut over fences was underwhelming and there is a lengthy bridge to build between that effort and winning a Grade One. Of course, Willie Mullins’ horse will be considerably more forward this time and is respected despite not making betting appeal.

Henry de Bromhead is allowing July Flower to take on the males and if she can make the same progress from second to third runs over fences as she did from first to second, she can be a player. The ground is unlikely to be testing enough for her, however.

The first two races are maiden hurdles, and they are most interesting for what they might unearth. Willie Mullins has likely types in both races, and his Doctor Du Mesnil gets the nap to take the Thorntons Recycling Maiden Hurdle.

In the last six runnings, Mullins has won the race three times and had beaten favourites on three occasions, but it will be disappointing if this exceptionally exciting sort does not join the stable’s winners of this race. He was most impressive when coming from midfield to run away with a Cork bumper on his only track outing to date, and that run marked him out as a potential star.

El Cairos, who is having his first start for Gordon Elliott having finished fifth in the Champion Bumper on his penultimate start for Josh and Gary Moore, is the most obvious danger, but he will need to be even better than that if he is to lower the selection’s colours.

Mullins’ Leader d’Allier, winner of three bumpers and two Flat races in six starts in France, makes his jumping debut in the TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle, and the four-year-old ought to be up to the task facing him.

He is another tremendously exciting prospect and can get off to a winning start at the expense of the unbeaten Ballyfad and the well-regarded Tim Toe, who didn’t jump well enough out of heavy ground when beaten at odds-on on his hurdling debut.

The Racing Post Handicap Chase is fiercely competitive but Where’s My Jet is unexposed over fences and makes each-way appeal.

Jacko Star has shown promise in his three starts to date and holds strong claims in the E-Auctions Novice Handicap Hurdle.

Philip Dempsey’s four-year-old has run to a similar level on all three starts, though it could be argued that his most recent was a slight step in the right direction. There is plenty more to come from him and if a lack of experience does not catch him out, he will go close.

The Story Boy has a similar profile, is equally unexposed, and also shown enough thus far to believe he could be a danger. Last-time-out winner Powerful is another worth considering.

LEOPARDSTOWN 

Selections 

12:05 Leader d’Allier 

12:35 Doctor Du Mesnil (Nap) 

1:10 Narciso Has 

1:45 Jacko Star 

2:20 Romeo Coolio 

2:55 Where’s My Jet 

3:30 Heldam 

Next best 

12:05 Ballyfad 

12:35 El Cairos 

1:10 Barbizon 

1:45 The Store Boy 

2:20 Salvator Mundi 

2:55 Seskin Flash 

3:30 Minella Machine