Racing Post Novice Chase
Grade 1, Leopardstown 14:20
€100,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
2m 1f, Class 1  
Friday 26th December 2025

BetPlay

1 Romeo Coolio 8/15F
2 Irish Panther 12/1
3 July Flower 9/2
9 ran Distances: ½l, 12l, 4½l
Time: 4m 5.60s (fast by 7.40s)

For much of the journey it appeared a bridge too far, but Romeo Coolio dug deep in the closing stages to defy a drop back in trip and reel in Irish Panther on the run-in.

Third in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the Gordon Elliott-trained gelding had been imperious in two chasing starts over two and a half miles. Back at 17 furlongs for this Grade 1, a race last staged two years ago and won by Found A Fifty, he was occasionally found wanting for pace as the contest unfolded.

Elliott was celebrating a third success in the race and a sixth winner on the card, but there were anxious moments as Irish Panther seized control before three out and then stretched clear rounding the home turn. At that stage, Romeo Coolio appeared to have plenty on his plate.

Jack Kennedy, however, kept the faith. Having eased past July Flower into third, he latched onto the leader’s heels approaching the final fence. Irish Panther, under Kieren Buckley, was steep at the last, while Romeo Coolio met it on the run and carried that momentum all the way to the line, gradually wearing down his rival to score by half a length.

Winning trainer Elliott told Racing TV: “I was happy enough, but he was a little slow in the air, as he was over two miles over hurdles.

“I thought Kieren (Buckley, rider of Irish Panther) was brilliant on his lad; our plan was to roll with him, but Jack was stuck in a pocket and had nowhere to go.

“He looks like he needs a trip - he will eventually do everything – but if it ended up easy ground on the first day then he could run in the Arkle. The owners are keen to have a runner there.

“He’s a very, very good horse – he may end up as more of a Ryanair horse in the long-term.”

Kennedy added: “I’m very pleased. He probably didn’t jump as sharply as I thought he would but I think that was just the tempo of the race coming back in trip.

“That should sharpen him up an awful lot, though.”

December Novice Steeplechase
2m 1f, Race Value: €100,000 guaranteed, Grade 1
9 ran
Going: Yielding, Good to Yielding in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Romeo Coolio 6 11-12 Gordon Elliott Jack Kennedy 8/15F
2 ½ Irish Panther 8 11-12 Eddie & Patrick Harty Kieren Buckley 12/1
3 12 July Flower 6 11-5 Henry De Bromhead Darragh O'Keeffe 9/2
4 4½ He's Gorgeous 6 11-12 P A Fahy Donagh Meyler 80/1
5 nk Shraheen 6 11-12 Philip Fenton Niall Moore 125/1
6 4½ Salvator Mundi 5 11-12 W P Mullins Danny Mullins 9/2
7 22 Break My Soul 6 11-5 Ian Patrick Donoghue Keith Donoghue 50/1
8 1¼ Westport Cove 7 11-12 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 28/1
CO Nurburgring 5 11-12 Joseph O'Brien Richard Deegan 40/1