Rooster return at Cheltenham
Philip Hobbs finally takes the wraps off champion hurdler Rooster Booster at Cheltenham next week.
The Victor Chandler Bula Hurdle is one of the highlights of the two-day meeting, switched from the New course to the Old one, at the Cotswold track and it sees Hobbs’ grey return to the scene of his greatest triumph.
Rooster Booster won the Smurfit Champion Hurdle in March by 11 lengths and since the rain has come, he is one of a number of top horses who could star in this race.
The major betting event of the meeting is the Tripleprint Gold Cup with Nicky Henderson’s Fondmort bidding to win the race for a second successive year.
Fondmort made a winning return in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at this track last month but he faces a tough task to record the double with Henry Daly’s Hand Inn Hand another strong fancy.
With the Tripleprint Novices’ Hurdle on the same Saturday card, along with a Friday fixture highlighted by the Lombard Properties Chase, racegoers are guaranteed a great couple of days.
Haydock could have some Gold Cup hopes on show in the Tommy Whittle Chase, which is worth £70,000 (€99,708).
Ferdy Murphy has nominated the three-mile race for his stable star Truckers Tavern, while Henrietta Knight could send Chives, who finished second in the Coral Welsh National last year.
Lingfield, more famed for their all-weather track, also have some pretty good racing over the sticks with the Arena Leisure Novices’ Chase and the Summit Junior Hurdle the feature events there.
However, there’s still a little bit of action for the Flat fans to savour, with Falbrav bidding to bow out in a blaze of glory in the Hong Kong Cup.
Luca Cumani’s five-year-old has his last start before retiring to stud in the Group One contest at Sha Tin but will be given a stern test by the Michael Jarvis-trained Rakti.
The supporting races on the card also offer quality in depth with Acclamation, The Tatling and Deportivo all set to run in the Sprint, while Andrew Balding’s Passing Glance runs in the Mile.
British interests are also heavily represented in the Vase with Clive Brittain due to run Warrsan and Mick Channon’s set to saddle Imperial Dancer.
