Romeo Coolio the highlight of Elliott six-timer Gordon Elliott capped an incredible St Stephen's Day as Romeo Coolio led in the dying strides to win the featured Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown. Sent off 8/15f under Jack Kennedy, the KTDA Racing-owned gelding was settled just off the pace as Irish Panther led the way. Pushed along in third entering the straight, the market leader momentarily looked in trouble as the leader kicked again from the front. However, having switched out to challenge approaching the last, Romeo Coolio stayed on well to eventually collar Irish Panther for a cosy half-length victory. “I was hoping the line was going to be further away than it was,” said Elliott. “Jack said Kieren Buckley was very good on his horse, he winged it and got three lengths on him and we got stuck in a pocket. “The horse was very gutsy, we know he stays very well and we’ll have learned a lot from today. “I said to Jack straightaway that two miles is going to be too sharp for him but he said ‘don’t rule it out yet, he’ll have learned a lot from today as he was spending a bit of time in the air over his fences and was a bit slow away from them’. “If we got soft ground on the first day of Cheltenham you’d never know. “The beauty I have with these owners that we can leave everything as late as we can. We can enter him in everything and then see what we do.” When asked if he was surprised that he had to work so hard he added:- “I’m never surprised by anything in this game. I knew when we got in a bit of a pocket at the second that this could get away from us. “Our plan was to be upsides at the second last and gone but there was nothing we could do.” Romeo Coolio formed part of an across the card six-timer for the Meath trainer on the day. Paddy Power went 4/1 (from 100/30) Romeo Coolio for the Arkle. Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
