Doctor Phoenix back for more with Elliott hopeful of sparking return to form

3.35 Naas
WhatOddsPaddy? Chase | 2m | Grade 3 | 5yo+ | RTV

Doctor Phoenix stormed home by 13 lengths in this last year and is back to defend his crown, but is not in the same sort of form as 12 months ago.

Doctor Phoenix was at the peak of his powers last year, arriving here on the back of an impressive nine-length win in the Dan Moore Handicap Chase, but he has failed to get his head in front this season and has been beaten a total of 97 lengths in his five starts.

This looks more Doctor Phoenix’s cup of tea after contesting Grade 1s and 2s all season before carrying a big weight in a Leopardstown handicap on his most recent start.

Gordon Elliott is certainly hopeful of an improved showing, and said: “This looks the right race for Doctor Phoenix. He won it impressively last year and he seems to like Naas. We’ve asked him a few tough questions this season but this looks a nice opportunity for him to be competitive again.”

Elliott’s other representative Tycoon Prince has not been setting the world alight of late either and brings form figures of 480 into the race.

He said: “Tycoon Prince has had his fair share of problems and hopefully he can run better than he did at Leopardstown this month. He ran really well behind Saint Calvados on his last visit to Naas and I’d be delighted if he could turn in a performance like that here.”

Cadmium was three places and ten lengths ahead of Doctor Phoenix at Leopardstown this month and Willie Mullins issued an upbeat bulletin on his seven-year-old.

Mullins said: “Cadmium is dropping back in distance after two runs over longer trips. The evidence is that the shorter trip should suit as two of his four wins over fences have been achieved over two miles. He has lots of experience and the race conditions suit.”

The field is completed by Henry de Bromhead’s Avenir D’Une Vie, the mount of Rachael Blackmore.

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