Just three horses remain in the Irish Arkle of 2026 on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival. This Grade 1 novice chase over two miles and a furlong often has a small field like this, but there’s still a dust-up in the offing at Leopardstown this year. The latest edition pitches Romeo Coolio against Kargese.
Prior to final declarations, DRF racegoers thought a mouth-watering rematch from last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival schedule, was on the cards. Willie Mullins didn’t declare Kopek Des Bordes, however, but that doesn’t leave the way entirely clear for Romeo Coolio, who has a question mark over whether this shorter distance is his best trip.
Kopek Des Bordes missed some time in training this winter to have a bone chip removed, so misses the Irish Arkle 2026 with connections keeping their powder dry until Cheltenham. That is their prerogative, but this is all the poorer for it as a spectacle. Elliott toyed with the idea of stepping Romeo Coolio back up in trip but, with the Leopardstown going likely to prove testing, his Drinmore winner stays at the shorter distance.
Heavy ground won’t be an issue for the other two in the field either with Henry De Bromhead’s Downmexicoway completing the line-up. Romeo Coolio followed-up on Drinmore success at the end of November with victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase over course and distance at Christmas.
He needed almost every yard to master Irish Panther, who doesn’t re-oppose, raising those doubts about whether he needs a great test of stamina. Defeating a horse then rising nine in that fashion hasn’t discouraged Cheltenham bookmakers from fearing Romeo Coolio en route to spring targets. Just how much this will tell us about that remains to be seen.
Kargese Stands in for Kopek Des Bordes as Mullins Shuffles Deck
He recorded a fast time on Boxing Day, but that was due to the much sounder surface than those heading to Leopardstown will have underfoot for the Irish Arkle in 2026 now. Another Christmas Festival winner heading here is Kargese. She gave lumps of weight and a seven-length beating to Irish Panther in last season’s County Hurdle.
The only downside to Kargese’s bloodless victory in a beginners chase over course and distance last time out was they didn’t jump a couple of the fences due to low sun. Mullins and owner Kenny Alexander combine with a mare that receives 7lb all-round from the field.
That’s because Elliott, rather than play second fiddle to Romeo Coolio in the Irish Arkle of 2026, sends Cork Grade 2 heroine Kala Conti across the Irish Sea for a run at Sandown in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase. The Greater London track has seemingly eon its own battle with Storm Chandra to get their Saturday meeting on, however.
Kargese was no match for Kala Conti when they met down at Mallow, but looked to have learned plenty from the experience of her chasing debut. Rated 152 over hurdles, it suggests there isn’t much between her and Romeo Coolio off these terms The mares allowance is a great help at this level.
Henry De Bromhead’s Downmexicoway ensures this isn’t a match after he sluiced through the mud at Gowran Park to land a handicap. The assessor put him up 11lb for a three-length victory there, so conditions hold no fears even if this demands plenty more of him.
Irish Arkle 2026 Shortlist & Verdict
Even though he must concede 7lb to a super-sub Mullins mount, and has always shaped more like a two-and-a-half miler, ROMEO COOLIO is a strong stayer over this trip. It will come down to stamina in the conditions with his breezy success in the Drinmore on the bridle sticking out in the mind. Kargese looks the only danger with Downmexicoway forced into running here by a hike from the assessor.
