Elliott and owners to make late call on Romeo Coolio target

Gordon Elliott and owner Dave Rabson could have two aces to fire on day one of the Cheltenham Festival after both Skybet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hope El Cairos and Singer Arkle possible Romeo Coolio featured among the confirmations for the supporting Grade Ones.

The Cullentra House handler will have designs on picking up the opening day’s feature contest, the Unibet Champion Hurdle, with star mare Brighterdaysahead, but he also has two fine chances for Rabson, who races Romeo Coolio in partnership with Dave Page as KTDA Racing.

Rabson also jointly-owns El Cairos with BJM Limited and the Festival curtain-raiser has long been the target for last year’s Champion Bumper fifth, who has demonstrated exceptional speed in his two hurdling appearances to date.

Meanwhile Romeo Coolio has already landed two Grade Ones over a similar distance to the Arkle and is left in a red-hot event, while also retaining his entries for both the three-mile Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and Ryanair Chase over an extended two and a half miles.

Elliott said: “The Supreme has been the plan all along for El Cairos and he’s in good form. He worked well on Tuesday and schooled this morning.

“Likewise Romeo Coolio is in good form and we’re looking forward to running him too. We’ll leave him in everything and make a decision a bit closer to the time.

“The owners are great lads and it would be great to get them another Cheltenham winner (after Mount Ida in the 2021 Kim Muir).”

If Elliott and the owners do plump for the two-mile option for Romeo Coolio, he will be one of a possible 14 runners headlined by last year’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Kopek Des Bordes and Nicky Henderson’s unbeaten chaser Lulamba.

As well as Kopek Des Bordes, Willie Mullins has Kargese and Kappa Jy Pyke in the mix, while Eddie and Patrick Harty’s Irish Panther and Henry de Bromhead’s July Flower are other possibles from Ireland.

Fergal O’Brien’s Scilly Isles winner Sixmilebridge, who has been talked of as a contender for the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap later in the week, and Kingmaker Novices’ Chase winner Steel Ally are other notable contenders.

The opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle promises to be just as intriguing with 20 moving forward after confirmations.

Joining El Cairos could be the likes of Henderson’s unbeaten hurdler Old Park Star and Formby Hurdle one-two Idaho Sun and Mydaddypaddy, representing Harry Fry and Dan Skelton respectively.

Another British-trained candidate is Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s three-time hurdles winner Sober Glory, who has tasted just one defeat in his career to date. He is a 12-1 chance with Paddy Power and delighted his training team when schooling this week.

White said: “He worked Tuesday morning. Natalie (Parker) rode him and she was delighted with him. She schooled him on Monday, he worked on Tuesday so we’ll just keep him ticking over until next Tuesday pretty much and get him there in one piece.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Dublin Racing Festival hero Talk The Talk and Willie Mullins’ Fairyhouse winner Mighty Park are both still in the mix, along with King Rasko Grey (Mullins) and Ballyfad (Elliott).

The most notable absentee is the Harry Derham-trained Mossy Fen Road.

Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s pair of Grand National favourite Iroko and last year’s Plate winner Jagwar head the 35 acceptors for the Trustmarque Ultima Handicap Chase, a race which could also feature Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore’s defending champion Myretown, plus the likes of Resplendent Grey and Grade One-winner Handstands.

The green-and-gold of JP McManus is also seen towards the head of the betting for the McCoy Contractors Juvenile Handicap Hurdle where Padraig Roache’s Saratoga and Henderson’s Manlaga feature amongst 52 going forward to declarations on Sunday.

There are 39 left in the Sun Racing Plate Handicap Chase, while Newton Tornado could give Rebecca Curtis back-to-back victories in the concluding National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase as one of 24 still in contention.