Racing: Rooster and Rhinestone to maintain steep rise

If you look back through the cuttings it is possible to read comments from Philip Hobbs about how disgracefully his Rooster Booster was being treated by the handicapper.

These observations predate two occurrences. First, Rooster Booster won the County Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, thus sending the Minehead trainer's moans back past his teeth. This season the grey has proved that he was not only a handicap good thing at the Festival, but now possibly the best hurdler in these islands.

The nine-year-old has compiled a hat-trick this term, placing himself, in form terms, far beyond the established group of hurdlers. The only threat to his Champion Hurdle claims seem to be among the new brigade of Intersky Falcon, Like-A-Butterfly, Flame Creek and Rhinestone Cowboy, the last of whom also runs today, at Wetherby.

The Rooster Booster (2.00) procession continues, weather permitting, at Sandown this afternoon, where there appears to be more chance of suffering heatstroke than defeat for the gelding in the Agfa Hurdle.

There are six contestants in opposition, but there might as well be 60 if they were all of this calibre. It is a race within a race, with the sole interest being what will finish second. Among his rivals are the Irish raider, Over The First, and the well-regarded Emma Lavelle-trained Self Defense. Lavelle hopes her six-year-old will give his more illustrious rival plenty to think about. "He's certainly worthy of his place in the race," said the Hampshire trainer, who has sent out four winners in the last fortnight. "He's a decent horse."

Self Defense was not disgraced in the Tolworth Hurdle at Wincanton this month when third to Thisthatandtother. Lavelle expects Sandown to suit him better. "His run at Wincanton was a good one but that course doesn't suit him because it's a sharp track."

The talk is about forecasts too at Wetherby, where Rhinestone Cowboy (3.25) reappears in the Rossington Main Novices' Hurdle. The seven-year-old has been visited by the vets recently, but amputation would have had to be part of the treatment to prevent Jonjo O'Neill's representative from winning here.

The second shelf on the podium could be occupied by Andy Crook's French import Spainkris, an impressive winner at Ayr last time. "Rhinestone Cowboy's an extremely good horse," Crook said, "although we get a good weight allowance for a four-year-old taking on older horses. We don't know how good our fellow is. I'd rather go for this, put him in the deep end and then we'll know where to go with him. I've entered him for the Triumph Hurdle.

"I have him in great form. I rode him out myself the other day and he nearly dropped me."

The bet of the day is at Sandown, where there will be four places paid in the Agfa Diamond Handicap Chase. IRIS BLEU (nap 3.40) is not a certain winner, but he is almost definitely going to finish in the frame. The chestnut was third in this contest last year and second on just about every other outing, but showed he was not completely bashful when winning at Cheltenham's Open meeting on his reappearance. This looks as though it has been the plan for some time.