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DOCTOR Phoenix’s owners are hoping their fairytale can continue in Thursday’s Clonmel Oil Chase.
The 10-year-old enjoyed an unexpectedly brilliant first season in Ireland after being bought for £10,000 by the Nick Bradley Racing Club, switching to Gordon Elliott’s stable to claim three wins, including a valuable handicap and another at Grade 3 level.
Owners, including the syndicate’s National Hunt adviser Will Smith, will once again be willing him on from afar – in the hope he can pick up where he left off.
“Last year was a fairytale really,” said Smith. "We picked him up for 10 grand, with a view to just seeing what there was for him and maybe win a handicap.
“We had that first Cork run, then won, had him spot on for the Dan Moore (at Fairyhouse) – then he just flew from there. To get so close after that to Great Field, who I think is a very good two-miler, was wonderful. Then who knows what would have happened (back) at Fairyhouse?”
On that occasion, Doctor Phoenix fell at the second last when upsides dual Cheltenham Festival winner Un De Sceaux, on his step back up to two and a half miles from two.
He was initially due to return over the minimum trip in the Fortria Chase at Navan last weekend, until ground worries ruled him out.
EXTRA DISTANCE
Smith has an inkling that the extra half mile will suit him even better.
“The first thoughts I had about him were maybe he was a horse we could take up in trip, from some elements of his pedigree,” he said.
“But Gordon quickly saw that he’s got some pace – so we felt ‘why change from what has been working at two miles?’
“The two-and-a-half-mile race came up (at Fairyhouse), and he seemed to be travelling really nicely – so it might be that is probably his best trip, if he is going to reach as high as he can.”
Smith senses the extra distance will offset the ongoing lack of rain. “We are hoping there might be a little bit come race time,” he said.
“It was really quite quick for the Fortria, we thought. But over two and a half miles, even if it is still good ground, they should go a stride or so slower.”
Doctor Phoenix will be ridden for the first time by Keith Donoghue, with Davy Russell and Jack Kennedy teaming up with Elliott’s two Gigginstown House Stud hopes.
A Toi Phil – who finished in front of Doctor Phoenix at Punchestown last spring but now has to give him 2lb – and Alpha Des Obeaux have a fitness edge after a run each already this season.
The latter, often seen over three miles and further, is running for only the second time since his switch to Elliott from Mouse Morris.
Kemboy is making his reappearance but on the back of an increasingly fruitful novice campaign – while Rashaan proved himself no slouch with a Grade Three novice chase win at Galway in the summer.
Against high-class opposition, Smith knows he can be no more than hopeful.
A four-time county championship-winning cricketer, he will be attending to his day job as a coach back in England while he tries to keep an eye on Doctor Phoenix’s fortunes.
“I have cricket commitments,” he said. “So I’ll probably be running coaching sessions, but might be able to get a quick look for a few minutes at how he’s doing.”
ELLIOTT'S MARES
Stable companion Dinaria Des Obeaux faces a formidable challenge from her own yard in the shape of Shattered Love in defence of her title in Clonmel’s T.A. Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase.
Gordon Elliott’s mare was odds-on favourite and had 22 lengths to spare from Miss Eyecatcher, who is back again, on her favoured soft ground in this listed race 12 months ago.
But with Elliott’s impressive Cheltenham Festival winner Shattered Love heading eight in opposition to her stablemate on Thursday, it is highly unlikely there will be such an easy victor this time.
Youcantcallherthat beat Dinaria Des Obeaux in a Grade 2 novice chase for trainer and jockey Denis Hogan at Limerick in March and should strip fitter for a recent run over hurdles.
“She was very good last season, had some really good form, and I hope she can do it again this time round,” he said.
“There’s no doubt she’s plenty good enough. She ran well in the hurdle on her first run back, and has come out of it well – but we just need some rain. She’s a National Hunt mare, so she needs soft ground really.
“I wouldn’t run her on anything that was the wrong side of good. I don’t think there’s a lot of rain coming, but any at all would be a help.”
Peter Fahey has no such concerns for his outsider Timeforwest, who has her first run since leaving Jonjo O’Neill.
“I don’t think she’s in any way ground dependent, and I think the track should suit her,” said Fahey. “We got her from the sales and have not had her long at all. But she’s working well at home, and I’d be delighted if she could get a bit of black type. It is definitely a very competitive race, but she should run respectably.”
Willie Mullins’ Camelia De Cotte, twice a winner in late summer, is one of four other runners.
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