Romeo Coolio in the closing stages© Photo Healy Racing
There was plenty of chat about the favourite Romeo Coolio ahead of his 'track' debut at Fairyhouse and the son of Kayf Tara delivered at even-money.
He made 420,000 guineas at the Sales after winning a Belclare point-to-point in March for Donnchadh Doyle and bookmakers reported that he had been backed during the week for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival.
Harry Swan raced him in the boxseat as the duo tracked Yoradreamer They tanked to the front racing to the final quarter of a mile, but were soon attended by Sporting Glory Swan got to work on his mount and sent him home by a length and a-quarter from the 22/1 runner-up.
Gordon Elliott said: “He's a good horse.
"It was a messy race as they went no gallop. I missed a bit of time with him a month or two ago and he's having a proper blow, he's going to come on a lot from it.
“If I didn't come here I had to go to Navan, there aren't a lot of races for him going forward and I wanted to get a run into him.
“On the day probably 80 per cent of mine ran below par so I was nervous going into the race, but I think he's a proper horse.
“It's all about the future with this horse, whatever he does this year is only going to be a bonus — I think he's a real one.
“The boys (KTDA Racing) are big supporters of the yard and they flew over from England today, so I'm delighted to get them a winner.
“He'll go straight to Cheltenham now. I'm not worried about today, the race was very messy and it didn't work out. They went no gallop and he's a big galloping horse. He's a stayer.
“Harry said he didn't do a stroke when he got to the front.
“It's one of those days, I didn't think we had too many that were going to win but at the same time we had one or two run disappointing. That's the game we're in and I've had worse days.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
