Making His Final Run...

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak I understand
Why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do



I would like to say how sorry I am on the sudden loss of such a brave horse.
To think I shall never see that gallant grey making his way to the start again just seems like a bad dream to be woken from.
Rooster Booster was and will always be one of my favourite racehorses. I think the main reason why I loved him so much was the fact that he was all heart and guts and was never prepared to say no. The determination and the love for what he was doing was always clear to see in every race he ran.
I used to watch his races religiously but I do admit that my fingers were always crossed over every fence he jumped for it didn’t matter to me if he didn’t win – I just wanted him to come back safe and sound. And he did.
I feel so lucky to have seen him run with my own eyes when we went to the Grand National this year. I can still see him walking around the parade ring – head high, ears pricked forward, taking everything in. Another time I was lucky enough to see him was at this years Gatcombe Horse Trials when he was in the parade of racehorses. When he came in the ring that day and they replayed his Cheltenham Gold Cup win it bought a tear to my eye – that race always does – just seeing him battle it up the hill, pass the winning post and then watching the reception is obviously one of my greatest memories of him. But I didn’t love him just because he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup I loved him because he tried and was so full of determination.
I pass Phillip Hobbs’ place every day on the school bus and every morning I always look out the window to watch the horses making their way up the gallops and hope to catch a glimpse of the horse that will always have a place in my heart and memories. I did not see them running at all on that fatal morning – I’m glad I didn’t and the news I received when I got home came as such a shock, I freely admit I cried. I was so looking forward to his run on Boxing Day, it’s going to be hard to watch it knowing that he should be there but I pray that he is now in a place where all our legends, champions, cherished friends and companions go.
I know from experience that words can never sum up the loss of a horse – it’s too deep and personal to describe or explain. But I found comfort when I learned he went doing what he loved and no one had to make the agonising decision of euthanasia if he had broken a leg or injured himself on the racecourse. Lastly I would like to say thank you for sharing this wonderful horse with us, thank you for all the memories. I will cherish my memories of Rooster Booster forever, I’m just so sorry he’s now gone – He may be gone but he will never be forgotten.