Elliott: Romeo looking good ahead of Drinmore

Gordon Elliott expects a tougher 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 One-winning novice hurdler who made his debut over fences at Down Royal at the end of October, winning by an impressive 14 lengths from subsequent Florida Pearl runner-up Koktail Divin.

Four fences were omitted during that race and Elliott feels with more jumping needed, Romeo Coolio will be even better still.

Elliott said: “He’s in good form and we’re very happy with him. On hurdles ratings he’s a long way clear and while Willie’s (Mullins) horse, Gold Dancer, was very good 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 bypass a few, but I think jumping fences is going to be the making of him, really.”

Elliott also has Pied Piper entered in the same race, with Mullins running 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 of the six in the BAR 1 Betting Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, with Teahupoo bidding for a third win in four years alongside Maxxum and Casheldale Lad.

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 this year at Cheltenham.

“Ballyburn is a good horse and he has to show he is still up to that level. He’s getting a little bit older but hopefully we get our ground.

“Gordon has him fit and well and we will take our chance and may the best horse on the day win.”

In the Bar 1 Betting Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, Noel Meade is due to run Blake, a former Flat performer who was rated 94 at his peak and has taken well to his new discipline in two runs so far.

Last seen winning a Down Royal maiden hurdle having finished second on his debut, he steps up in grade to try to 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’re very happy with him since his last run.

“It was probably a blessing in disguise that he didn’t win so early in the season the first day over hurdles and he has done everything OK for us.

“He is going to Sunday with a fighting chance and we’ll find out more about him then.”

Contesting the same race is Elliott’s Kocktail Brut, who won his hurdling debut by nine lengths having previously been 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 as well.”

A field of seven have assembled for the BAR 1 Betting Juvenile Hurdle, with Elliott’s Mange Tout and Mullins’ Narciso Has leading the way.