Early Career
Rooster began his racing career in a National Hunt Flat Race at Wincanton in February 1999, where he finished seventh of eighteen runners. He proceeded to have six more runs for Richard Mitchell, winning just one of those in the form a maiden hurdle at Taunton. He was then switched to the yard of Phillip Hobbs and made his debut for him in April 2000, finishing 2nd behind Valiramix in a Novices' Hurdle at Chepstow. He had one more run that season, finishing third in a competitive Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.
He began the 2000/01 season with little success, being pulled up at Chepstow at the beginning of November, before falling at Newbury later that month. He then improved to be placed in his next four races, including Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown and the Imperial Cup at Sandown. His season, however, ended on a bad note as he was pulled up at Aintree in April in a Handicap Hurdle.
He reappeared in the 2001/02 season, in a Listed Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, finishing fifth. He followed up that effort by finishing fifth and fourth in Handicap Hurdles at Sandown and Ascot. In his next two races, he finished second to the Martin Pipe-trained Copeland in valuable handicaps at Cheltenham and Newbury. He then gained his first victory for Phillip Hobbs, when coming from well off the pace to lead at the last hurdle and win the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with Copeland, back in fifteenth. His trainer then stepped him up to Grade I class, where he finished a creditable fourth in the Aintree Hurdle, behind Ilnamar.
Read more about this topic: Rooster Booster (horse)
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