Racing: Rooster sounds charge for Hobbs' flying squad

Notwithstanding the news that World Series champion-elect Grandera has arrived safely on Chinese territory ahead of his tilt at the Hong Kong Cup next month, and that Breeders' Cup anti-hero Domedriver is in fine fettle for the Mile at the same meeting, the focus for most folk at home is Cheltenham.

Not just the sport this weekend, though, for such is the thrall in which the March Festival holds the rest of the season most of what happens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be seen only in terms of how it will impact on events at Prestbury Park four months hence. The winners' enclosure will be a-flutter with the compressed remains of whole rainforests as bookmakers churn out more little lists than ever did Ko-Ko or even Peter Lilley.

It may be that the final day of the meeting is the one for the future. In the post-Istabraq (and, sadly, post-Valiramix) era, the Champion Hurdle market is, at this stage, relatively unformed and any sparkling performance would have the pencillers sharpening their tools. And two credible enough candidates in an open year, the pro tem 20-1 shots Rooster Booster and In Contrast, head the weights for Sunday's £50,000 handicap run over the big-race course and distance.

The pair, in different ownership, are both trained by Philip Hobbs, the inmates of whose Minehead stable have launched their attack on last season's best-ever haul of 119 winners and £1.3m in prize-money with a rare verve. Both are intended runners, with the six-year-old In Contrast due to receive 9lb from Rooster Booster, two years his senior. "The Champion Hurdle is very much in mind long-term," said Hobbs, "and we'll be testing their credentials on Sunday."

In Contrast was one of last season's best novices, third in the Supreme Novices' and afterwards a Grade Two winner at Aintree. Rooster Booster plied his trade honestly and consistently in the best handicaps with his day of days coming in the County Hurdle. Both geldings have run once already this term, In Contrast at Tipperary last month, when he was third to Intersky Falcon, and Rooster Booster with a ridiculously easy win at Kempton, a performance which put his career as a novice chaser on hold.

"I think In Contrast was unlucky in running at Tipperary," Hobbs said. "A horse jumped in front of him at the first hurdle and he rather lost his confidence and later he was nearly brought down. Rooster Booster is bigger and stronger this year and although you don't expect a horse who's coming to his ninth birthday to improve, he did it very, very well at Kempton."

There is a Champion Hurdle precedent (of sorts) where Sunday's race is concerned: in the 1996 edition, the winner Space Trucker and fifth-placed Make A Stand took first and third places in the big one in the spring. The day's two other features, the Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase and the Open Bumper have also thrown light on subsequent élite happenings, most notably through Best Mate, who has won them both in his time.

The Grade Two chase is one of the stepping stones to the novices' two-mile crown, the Arkle Trophy, but beware the ante-post sirens, for no horse has won both. Last year's winner, Seebald, has come nearest with his runner-up spot behind Moscow Flyer in March, but Best Mate apart, some admirable chasers have emerged from the race, notably Direct Route, Celibate and Fadalko.

Sunday's renewal will show whether Azertyuiop did indeed set the standard for the division with his scintillating fencing debut at Market Rasen last month, when he barely touched a twig as he sauntered home. The Paul Nicholls-trained five-year-old will be reopposed by Fait Le Jojo from the Hobbs team, who uncharacteristically blundered and unseated at the Lincolnshire track that day.

In the bumper, all eyes will be on Inca Trail, who has some mighty shoes to fill as Best Mate's younger brother.

The faithful are promised an ideal opening to the Cheltenham show. "We have missed today's heavy rain," clerk of the course, Simon Claisse, said. "Conditions at the moment are perfect."