Romeo keeps his cool for easy Drinmore triumph

Gordon Elliott is keen to keep all options open for Romeo Coolio following his demolition job in the BAR 1 Betting Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

A Grade One winner over hurdles at last season’s Dublin Racing Festival, the six-year-old was also placed in top-level events at Cheltenham and Aintree in the spring and made the perfect start to his chasing career at Down Royal in late October.

Running over the same two-and-a-half-mile trip, Romeo Coolio was an 8-15 favourite to bag another Grade One win on his second start over fences and odds-on backers will have had few concerns, with Jack Kennedy cutting a confident figure in the saddle throughout.

His mount travelled and jumped fluently throughout on his way to an emphatic eight-length victory over Gold Dancer.

Elliott said: “That was brilliant, he was good. We always knew chasing was going to be his game and we’re absolutely thrilled.”

With no two-and-a-half mile Grade One option at the Cheltenham Festival these days for novice chasers, Romeo Coolio will either have to step up in trip for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over three miles or revert to two for the Arkle, for which he was cut to 5-1 from 8-1 by Coral.

“Obviously with Cheltenham you have two or three (miles). We could also come back here at Easter or go to Aintree, there are loads of options,” Elliott added.

“The one thing Jack did say is that he wouldn’t be afraid to bring him back to two off a real fast pace, the way he jumps.

“There is no decision that needs to be made today, we’re going to enjoy it and see what happens.”

When asked if Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting was a potential next port of call, the trainer said: “Everywhere is open now, we could even end up in Kempton. We’ll keep all options open. We’ll dream about everything.

“I’ll never forget when the owners came to me at the start, the one thing they said was that they’d love to have a horse for the Champion Chase. Whether he’s quick enough for that, I don’t know, but we’ll dream in every direction and see what happens.”