Rooster Booster (1994–2005) was a British-bred thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2003 Champion Hurdle. Background Rooster Booster was a gelding whose grey coat (inherited from his dam Came Cottage) and racing style made him easily recognisable. He was the only horse of any consequence produced by the unsuccessful racehorse Riverwise. He was originally trained by his owner Norman Richard Mitchell in Dorset but had his biggest successes after he was bought by Terry Warner in 2000 and sent to the stable of Philip Hobbs at Withycombe in Somerset. Early career Rooster Booster began his racing career in a National Hunt Flat Race at Wincanton in February 1999, where he finished seventh of eighteen runners. He had 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 Philip 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 ended when he was pulled up at Aintree in April in a Handicap Hurdle. Rooster Booster 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 Philip 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 stepped him up to Grade I class, where he finished fourth in the Aintree Hurdle, behind Ilnamar. Champion Hurdler The following season (2002/03) proved to the most successful of Rooster Booster's career. He began with victories in Listed Hurdles at Kempton and Cheltenham, before he won the Grade 1 Bula Hurdle at odds of 11/8, coming home 2 lengths in front of Landing Light.