Hobbs forced to scrap Rooster County Hurdle plan
The Minehead trainer had hoped to run the popular grey in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle next Tuesday and again in the Vincent O’Brien County Handicap Hurdle, the last race of the Festival on the Friday.
That will not happen now as Rooster Booster, winner of the County in 2002 and the Champion in 2003, would be lumbered with 12st 7lb or more, and not his present 11st 12lb, in the handicap.
The rule change, which applies to Class A handicaps, means his presence would be totally disregarded in determining the highest weight because he had run within 48 hours of declaration time.
In effect this would mean the best Hobbs could hope for would be that Landing Light runs off top weight of 11st 12lb, which would bring in Rooster Booster at 12st 7lb.
Hobbs said: “He definitely will not run in the County Hurdle because he would have to carry more than 12st.
“It’s possibly partly my fault as I am on the National Trainers’ Federation Council.
“I should have known about the new rule, but there are so many rules and changes in the Racing Calendar that you don’t go through them all, and some of them are double dutch.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s 48 hours after a race and we should be able to decide if the horse can run - it’s not even the next day.
“It’s absolute nonsense - why can’t you run horses twice at the Festival?”
Trainers were reminded of the change in a memo from the British Horseracing Board yesterday, which stated that the amendment had been published in the Racing Calendars of October 21 and October 28 last year.
