THERE were a handful of graded races over jumps in Ireland in the week gone past, with pride of place from a timing point of view going to Doctor Phoenix.

The 10-year-old has come on in leaps and bounds since joining Gordon Elliott at the beginning of this season and ran a new personal best timefigure of 157 here. That has Doctor Phoenix snapping at the heels of the like of Politologue (158), though not of the very best two-milers around.