Rooster faces tough test

Paul Nicholls has withdrawn Perouse and Rigmarole from Saturday's race but will still be strongly represented via Le Duc, Sud Bleu and the much-fancied Sporazene.

Ruby Walsh had little hesitation in choosing Sporazene, and Nicholls is delighted with the way his five-year-old has progressed since finishing third behind Intersky Falcon and Rooster Booster in Kempton's Christmas Hurdle.

'We were a length and a quarter behind Rooster Booster off level weights at Kempton, whereas on Saturday we'll be getting 15lb from him,' he said.

'He worked really well in his final gallop the other day and I've always thought that a big field and a good gallop is just what he wants.'

There were no shock withdrawals when the final field was announced this morning, though supporters of the well-fancied Irish mare Georges Girl have lost their money after Fran Flood re-routed her to a race at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Martin Pipe will bid to win the race for a third time with a quintet made up of Westender, Copeland, Latalomne, Contraband and Visibility, while Nicky Henderson will be looking for his fourth success with Geos and Saintsaire.

Jonjo O'Neill also heads to Newbury triple-handed with Quazar, Hasty Prince and Never, but his eyes will also be trained firmly on Haydock where his star staying hurdler Iris's Gift makes his longawaited seasonal debut in the Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier.

And Robert Lester, the Cheshire publican who owns the giant grey, has warned punters that Baracouda will not have his own way in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

'Iris's Gift had a hard season last year and Jonjo wanted to make sure he was a 100 per cent before he ran him again. I've told JP McManus we're going to beat Baracouda at Cheltenham this time, and although he has a lot of weight in the Haydock race we go there full of hope.'

Meanwhile, leading jump jockey Robert Thornton returns from a month on the sidelines caused by a broken arm at Kempton tomorrow.

The Sunbury venue stages a six-race card and will switch its attentions back to the Flat next week when its application to erect floodlights as part of its plans to become an all weather track goes before Spelthorne Borough Council.