Doddiethegreat continues to delight after lengthy injury lay-off

Adam Morgan
December 22, 2023 10:38 am

Charity horse has long-term aim of Scottish Champion Hurdle in the spring.

The training prowess of Nicky Henderson has been hailed after Doddiethegreat raised more valuable funds for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation when finishing second at Cheltenham last week.

Owned by Kenny Alexander, the seven-year-old is named after former Scotland rugby union great Doddie Weir, who died of motor neurone disease in November last year.

Alexander is donating all prize-money earned throughout Doddiethegreat’s career to the foundation set up by his great friend and fellow Scot to raise funds to aid research into MND.

Nico de Boinville and Doddiethegreat after winning at Ascot (PA)

This was a decision that paid dividends at the beginning of the gelding’s career when he won his first three outings with the minimum of fuss and he then channelled his namesake’s fighting spirit when returning from over two years on the sidelines with a thrilling comeback victory at Ascot recently.

Although tasting defeat for the first time at Cheltenham, he travelled menacingly over the Prestbury Park undulations and was denied by just over a length as he raised a further GBP 6,075 for the charity.

“We’re absolutely delighted and over the moon with him and Nicky Henderson’s training performance with him has just been phenomenal,” said Alexander’s racing manager Peter Molony.

“I don’t think there is a better trainer anywhere to get a horse back from injury and nurse a horse back to the racecourse and then also get them to perform at the top level again, it’s absolutely incredible.

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“The whole story and Kenny’s generosity to the Doddie foundation is brilliant and the horse is earning lots of money for the foundation which is huge and hopefully we are raising a bit of awareness for the cause as well.

“When you set out to do something like this with a horse and he turns out to be Doddie and he is winning and showing the ability that he has, then it is great and gives you a great sense of satisfaction.”

Doddiethegreat’s owner has made no secret of his desire to take a shot at the Scottish Champion Hurdle in the spring, but his Cheltenham performance has now opened up more options, with both a return for the Festival in March and a step up in trip just a couple of the possibilities for connections to ponder.

“I think both Nicky and Nico (de Boinville, jockey) are adamant that he is crying out for further and will improve for further,” continued Molony.

Doddiethegreat's trainer Nicky Henderson has nursed the seven-year-old back to full fitness — Doddiethegreat’s trainer Nicky Henderson has nursed the seven-year-old back to full fitness (Zac Goodwin/PA)

“Kenny would absolutely love him to go to Ayr in April for the Scottish Champion Hurdle. But we would just be a little bit worried that you might get fast ground and with his previous injury history and it being over two miles, would that be the right place for him? It’ll certainly be under consideration.”

When asked if a run at the Cheltenham Festival would be considered, Molony added: “Absolutely, all options will be open and no doubt Nicky and his team will pick the right course of action with him.

“It’s still one day at a time because of his horrific injury and we’ll always be on tenterhooks with him, but we will see how we go.”