Phoenix is out of Select Stakes: Rocket is in

Bubbly Phoenix: Out of Selerct Stakes on veterinary advice

  PICTURE: STEVE NASH  

BUBBLY PHOENIX has been ruled out of next Wednesday’s Betfred Select Stakes at Nottingham on veterinary advice. He will be replaced in the £7,500 contest over 500m by the greyhound who beat him into second in March’s Monmore Puppy Derby final, Newinn Rocket.

Trainer Paul Young had hoped that Bubbly Phoenix would be able to take his chance in the Select after he was treated by sports massage therapist Ron Mills on Tuesday, but a veterinary check yesterday suggested caution.

“He’s sore in the off-shoulder and hind,” said Young, “and we’ve been advised not to run him. He’s too good a dog to take any risks with and we’ll give him all the time he needs so all plans are on hold at the moment. He's still very young and we have all next year to look forward to.”

The Pat Rosney-trained Newinn Rocket, who has not raced since April, is due to trial over 480m before racing at Monmore on Thursday.

He is a railer, so the Friday’s live on SIS trap draw will see four railers – Blue Artisan, Mill Bling Bling and Taylors Sky being the others – join middle seeded duo Sawpit Sensation and Silverview Perky in the hat.