Rooster ruled out of Kempton meeting

Rooster Booster will not take his place in Saturday’s RHT 40th Anniversary Hurdle at Kempton.

The 2003 Champion Hurdle winner was due to meet old foes Intersky Falcon and Rigmarole in the two-mile contest at the Sunbury course but trainer Philip Hobbs was not quite satisfied with his work yesterday morning.

The grey now looks likely to reappear in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on November 14 although he has some other options.

“He worked this morning but blew a bit afterwards,” Hobbs told the Racing Post on Tuesday. “I’ve had a word with his owner Terry Warner and he won’t run at Kempton.

“Our options are now the valuable two mile hurdle at the Paddy Power meeting, the Fighting Fifth (at Newcastle) or the Bula (at Cheltenham).

“At the moment, I am favouring the handicap hurdle at Cheltenham next month, as although he’ll have top weight they will go a good gallop and that will suit him.”