Super six score for Summerhill star
HORSE RACING
It was a St Stephen's Day to remember for Logwood based trainer Gordon Elliott as he saddled an incredible six winners across three cards in Ireland.
Romeo Coolio was the star of the show for the Summerhill man as he claimed the feature Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase on the opening day of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.
Romeo Coolio was the third of three winners at the south Dublin track with Kerry jockey Jack Kennedy riding all three winners.
Sent off 8/15 favourite under 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 straight away 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 is 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.”
Kennedy and Elliott’s day started with an eye-catching success of nearly 10 lengths for Ballyfad in the TRI Equestrian Maiden Hurdle, while favourite Spinola Bay landed the E-Auctions Novice Handicap Hurdle.
It could and maybe should have been a four-timer for the pair but the otherwise impressive El Cairos stumbled and fell after clearing the last.
Sept Etoiles and Slanagaibhgoleir were Elliott’s winners at Down Royal while Kazansky won a thriller by a head at Limerick, leaving the Cullentra handler delighted.
“If I had one win on the day, I would have taken it,” he said. “I was nervous driving up here today, so this is unbelievable.”
Jockey Kieren Buckley completed his set of a winner at every Irish track with his success on Addragoole for Gavin Cromwell in the Racing Post Handicap Chase.