TWO years in the wilderness have not dimmed the ambition of Richard Phillips. After prolonged persecution by sickness and injuries, his 80-box Cotswold yard is stocked to overflowing and the quality of the horses is at last threatening to match the quality of the back-up staff.

Phillips, whose home-help includes a tutor of horses in Richard Dunwoody and a coach of people in Michael Caulfield, admits the coming months are the most important of his 12-year training career. December has brought a clutch of promising winners but if he is to restore the good times of 2003, much may rest on the progress of The Mick Weston.

One of the best bumper horses of last season, The Mick Weston’s fate at Cheltenham in March, where he was cruising when being hampered and unseating Richard Johnson, was typical of the stable fortunes. His path back to the Festival, this time as a hurdler, continues at Uttoxeter today or, if that meeting fails its inspection, at Cheltenham tomorrow.

“Everyone knows he’s got talent,” Phillips said yesterday. “He used to be a very nervous horse but he’s settled down now. We just don’t know how good he is yet, or even the trip that will suit him best. He wasn’t stopping when he won his first hurdle, so he’s running over two-and-a-half miles today. We’ll see after this if he’s good enough for the Festival.”

Phillips’s yard emerged from the virus last season, only for most of his best horses to suffer injuries. Dark’n Sharp and Supreme Toss have since returned with credit and the trainer said: “I think there’s a nice prize in Supreme Toss now and we should also have Chopneyev back on the track in January.

“If I have one gift, I attract good people. I’m very lucky with my owners and we’ll break every bone in our body to reward their patience. It’s beginning to happen for us now and it’s my job not to mess it up. Trainers can only make horses go slower, never faster.”

Johnson, who returned from the injury that cost him rides in the King George and Welsh National with a winner at Taunton yesterday, has unwavering faith in The Mick Weston. So much so that he will ride him in the opener at Uttoxeter before dashing to Warwick for further mounts.

Johnson’s Cheltenham rides tomorrow include the unbeaten Boychuk in the relocated Challow Hurdle. Black Jack Ketchum is missing from the field of eight and Tony McCoy, his regular jockey, will also be absent — claimed by J. P. McManus to ride at Fairyhouse.

Having ridden the redoubtable Brave Inca to victory on Thursday, McCoy will take a keen interest in the return of Hardy Eustace at Punchestown today. The dual champion hurdler will be long odds-on, with only two inferior rivals, but his trainer, Dessie Hughes, is already eyeing a clash with Brave Inca, Feathard Lady and Harchibald in the AIG Champion Hurdle on January 29.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, who runs The Cool Guy in the Challow, suffered some disappointments over Christmas with Ollie Magern and Fundamentalist but yesterday reported both horses to be fine. “Fundamentalist hated the ground at Wetherby and probably blew up. I hope he’ll run in the Victor Chandler Chase later in January,” he said.

Knowhere, injured after a deeply impressive hurdles win 14 months ago, represents Twiston-Davies in the grade two Dipper Novices Chase tomorrow, in which a third victory for The Listener could see him as new favourite for the Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

Paddy Brennan, distraught after surrendering the winning ride on L’Aventure in the Welsh National to partner One Knight, has the chance of some consolation tomorrow. Paul Nicholls, who trains L’Aventure and was furious at losing Brennan, has engaged him for French Executive, who bids to win the Sussex National at Plumpton for a second time.

RACING NEXT WEEK

TOMORROW: Cheltenham (first race, C4, 11.55), Plumpton (C4, 12.20), Catterick (12.45), Southwell (AW, 12.30).

MONDAY: Ayr (12.35), Exeter (12.55), Folkestone (12.40), Southwell (AW, 12.30).

TUESDAY: Ayr (1.00), Southwell (AW, 12.50), Lingfield Park (AW, 12.40).

WEDNESDAY: Wincanton (1.30), Lingfield Park (AW, 12.40), Wolverhampton (AW, 1.20).

THURSDAY: Hereford (1.00), Wetherby (12.15), Wolverhampton (AW, 12.35).

FRIDAY: Musselburgh (12.40), Towcester (1.20), Wolverhampton (AW, 1.00).

SATURDAY: Fontwell Park (12.50), Haydock Park (C4, 12.45), Sandown Park (C4, 1.00), Lingfield Park (AW, 12.40).

Flat meetings in bold