Gordon Elliott to Make Late Decision on Romeo Coolio's Cheltenham Festival Target
Trainer Gordon Elliott has confirmed he will wait until the eleventh hour before determining which race Grade One winner Romeo Coolio will contest at next month's prestigious Cheltenham Festival. The seven-year-old, who finished third in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle, has enjoyed an unbeaten campaign over fences this season, securing three impressive Grade One victories.
Distance Dilemma for Promising Chaser
Romeo Coolio's recent performances over two miles at Leopardstown have required maximum effort, particularly during his narrow victory over Kargese in the Irish Arkle. This has led Elliott to believe the horse might benefit from a longer trip, potentially stepping up to three miles and one furlong for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase. However, the Arkle Trophy over the shorter distance remains firmly under consideration.
"We're going to keep everything up in the air for the moment. We have the Arkle and the Brown Advisory," Elliott revealed from his Cullentra House training base. "I don't think three miles will be a problem at all, just whether it's the right thing to do at this stage of his career or not I'm not sure."
The trainer acknowledged that the decision is complicated by the preferences of Romeo Coolio's owners, who are based in the UK and are particularly keen to have runners at Cheltenham. Elliott noted that if the middle-distance race option were still available, this conversation wouldn't be happening, suggesting the current situation creates better racing but isn't ideal for the horse's specific circumstances.
Formidable Festival Squad Taking Shape
Elliott is preparing to bring a formidable squad of novice hurdlers to the Cotswolds in four weeks, with Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite El Cairos leading the charge. Skylight Hustle, who claimed a Grade One victory at Leopardstown over Christmas across two miles, is expected to tackle a longer distance in the Turners Novices' Hurdle.
Another contender, Ballyfad, could contest either race after being narrowly beaten by Talk The Talk at the Dublin Racing Festival. "I haven't spoken to Michael and Eddie O'Leary about Ballyfad yet, but my own feeling is the further he goes the better he's going to be," Elliott explained. "He's not a fancy work horse at home and if you look at him in his races, he nearly looks beaten turning in but he's very gutsy and keeps picking up."
The trainer indicated this characteristic might suit the Supreme as well, but confirmed Ballyfad has both options available. "We'll worry about it a week or 10 days out. If it was tomorrow, my feeling is the middle-distance race would suit him better, but I suppose we'll have to keep an eye on the ground and the weather."
Stayers' Hurdle Contenders and Other Prospects
With 41 Festival victories already to his name, Elliott is preparing to deploy two significant contenders in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle. Previous winner Teahupoo, who finished runner-up to Bob Olinger when attempting consecutive victories last season, will be accompanied by stablemate Honesty Policy.
Honesty Policy established himself as a genuine challenger by finishing an impressive third in the Long Walk at Ascot on his sole outing this season. "Teahupoo probably sets the standard and for me Honesty Policy is the young gun coming behind them," Elliott assessed. "They're two nice horses, but Teahupoo has the form and I wouldn't swap him."
The trainer expressed particular satisfaction with Honesty Policy's Ascot performance, noting "he was the horse to take out of it, he hit the line strong." Elliott had been keen to run him at Navan recently but was deterred by heavy ground conditions, explaining "he's not the biggest or most robust horse." Instead, the horse will receive a racecourse gallop before heading straight to Cheltenham.
Other leading contenders from the stable include Wodhooh, who is bound for the Mares' Hurdle, and Oldschool Outlaw, who must rank among Elliott's strongest prospects of the entire festival in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle. "I was impressed with Oldschool Outlaw the last day. She has a good attitude. I liked the way she quickened from the last to the line," Elliott praised.
The trainer noted that while Oldschool Outlaw has already beaten Bambino Fever, both horses will have improved since their last encounter. "I think she's improved at home, she's improving the whole time. She's a nice mare," Elliott concluded, expressing confidence in his expanding Cheltenham team as the Festival approaches.
