Rooster heads trophy field
Rooster Booster heads a field of 25 horses declared for the Tote Gold Trophy at today’s final 48-hour stage.
The reigning champion hurdler will attempt to give weight all round at Newbury on Saturday in his final race before bidding for back-to-back victories in the Smurfit-sponsored Cheltenham showpiece next month.
He faces a stiff task under 11st 12lb against other Champion Hurdle aspirants, who will be getting lumps of weight from the Philip Hobbs-trained grey.
A total of 12 horses were taken out at the final declaration stage. They include Rooster Booster’s stablemate In Contrast and the Paul Nicholls-trained pair Rigmarole and Perouse.
Nicholls will, though, be triple-handed through major ante-post fancy Sporazene, Le Duc and Sud Bleu.
