Booster ready for Hurdle repeat
Philip Hobbs today reported Rooster Booster to be in fine shape ahead of his bid to win the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for the second year running at Cheltenham tomorrow.
“He’s in very good form and we are very hopeful,” his trainer told Sky News.
The 10-year-old grey is a hot favourite despite suffering defeat in three of his four starts this season.
Rooster Booster did, though, boost his claims when failing by a short head to give Geos 17lb in the Tote Gold Trophy at Newbury last month.
Geos reposes on level terms tomorrow.
“He has been beaten this season but when he lost at Kempton he ran a great race, and then he ran a terrific race in the Tote Gold Trophy,” added Hobbs.
Rooster Booster has eased slightly in the betting today to 13-8 from 11-8 with Coral, who reported a big bet on his Kempton conqueror Intersky Falcon.
One intrepid punter has had £25,000 (€36,600) each-way on Jonjo O’Neill’s charge at 8-1.
Intersky Falcon, jointly owned by intersky.com and O’Neill’s wife Jacqui, is now 6-1 third favourite.
Former Liverpool, Newcastle and England soccer star Terry McDermott, who runs the intersky.com racing club, is hoping for a big run from the horse.
“Jonjo couldn’t be more pleased with him. As long as he runs the race we know he can, we’ll be happy. If he still gets beat, that’s no problem,” he said.
McDermott believes Intersky Falcon can put behind him a disappointing run in the race 12 months ago, when he was only fifth to Rooster Booster.
Intersky Falcon defeated the reigning champion in this season’s Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, which he was winning for the second successive year.
“Some people say he’s only good on a Flat track, but I don’t believe that,” said McDermott.
“The going was against him in the Champion last year and he wasn’t right going into the race.
“He didn’t run between the Christmas Hurdle last season and the Champion, so that tells you something. Then he didn’t reappear until Tipperary in October.
“It was a good performance when he beat Rooster Booster in the Christmas Hurdle this time and then Rigmarole beat us fair and square at Wincanton, and deservedly so.
“If he puts his best foot forward, he’s got a chance. But if you listen to all these pundits, no-one gives him a chance. They don’t even have him in the three. Hopefully, we can remedy that.”
Smurfit Champion Hurdle, latest betting: 13-8 Rooster Booster, 3-1 Rigmarole, 6-1 Intersky Falcon, 9-1 Specular, 16-1 Limerick Boy, Foreman, 20-1 Hasty Prince, Westender, Davenport Milenium, Geos, 33-1 Golden Cross, Hardy Eustace, 40-1 Self Defense, 66-1 Fota Island.
