Champion Hurdle Report: Rooster Booster, the horse that couldn't win, that deflected all the hype, managed to gallop to the top of the tree with a scintillating victory in yesterday's Smurfit Champion Hurdle.
The excesses of the pre-race build-up might have focused on Rhinestone Cowboy, but inexperience cost the novice, who struggled home in third.
The Jonjo O'Neill-trained horse did well to even achieve that after a second-flight mistake, and some resounding belts from Norman Williamson's whip before half way. But "struggled" is the only word to describe all those left behind by Rooster Booster.
Last year's County Hurdle winner has graduated through the ranks this season, but that was widely dismissed as a reflection of the dearth of top-flight performers around since Istabraq's retirement. How wrong could we be.
The first grey to win since Kribensis travelled beautifully under Richard Johnson throughout, and Rhinestone Cowboy's stable companion Intersky Falcon was reduced to being a lead horse down the hill.
Johnson had a peep over his shoulder before the turn in, eventually kicked and the race was over.
Rooster Booster quickened so well he put 11 lengths between himself and the runner-up, Westender, a winning margin that fell only one length short of Istabraq's 1998 record.
In that light, bookmaker reluctance to make him a hot favourite for next year's renewal betrayed the residue of the old Rooster Booster prejudices.
Rooster Booster and Back In Front are 8 to 1 joint-favourites with Paddy Power for next year, but Johnson and trainer Philip Hobbs were having none of that.
"It's staggering. He's nine years old and he's still improving. Sea Pigeon won at 10 so why shouldn't he?" asked Hobbs with characteristic calm.
It was a sixth festival score for the 47-year-old Somerset trainer, who had been concerned about the ground being too fast for Rooster Booster, along with In Contrast, his first Champion Hurdle runners.
Those worries were quickly lost as the going revealed itself to be well on the slow side of good.
That provoked more belief in Like-A-Butterfly's chance, but the mare was beaten on the run to the third last and she struggled home 10th.
"She was a bit flat. I travelled well early but she was gone even before the top of the hill. Maybe she just wasn't quick enough," reported Charlie Swan.
Johnson was singing a very different tune after completing the remarkable Gold Cup-Champion Chase-Champion Hurdle treble in four years.
"Intersky Falcon was the one I was worried about but I also didn't want to hit the front too soon.
"He is obviously a very good horse and as good as anything else around at the moment," he said.
Jonjo O'Neill was philosophical in defeat and reported: "Rhinestone Cowboy ran a bit novicey and made a bad mistake, but there's no point making excuses. He wasn't good enough. The ground was too tacky for Intersky."
Favourite backers must have thought they were on a roll after the first race and then Azertyuiop's solo stroll in the Arkle where Ruby Walsh's mount scored by 11 lengths from Impek.
"Exceptional," was Walsh's verdict and the bookies agreed, with Powers going just 6 to 1 for next year's Champion Chase.
Martin Pipe was on the mark in the Kim Muir with Royal Predica, who managed a last-to-first success, but that was a non-event compared to the drama of the Pertemps Final.
Barry Geraghty, completing a double, was again magnificent in the finish, driving the favourite Inching Closer to a short head defeat of Royal Emperor after a dour struggle from the last.
It was head-to-head stuff in the best Cheltenham tradition and it puts Geraghty, with Moscow Flyer waiting today, in the driving seat to be the festival's top jockey.
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