Gary Clarke admits to feeling some trepidation before the return by his former Darwin Guineas champion Mahaffey Road to Fannie Bay.

The son of Adventurous captivated the Top End horse racing scene last year when he rose from humble maiden to Guineas glory on the back of four wins over 58 days.

Mahaffey Road then started a $1.70 favourite in the NT Derby, but flopped badly to finish sixth in what Clarke described as being one of his toughest days.

"Racing has a habit of bringing you back to reality," Clarke said.

"He was a bit of a fairytale story, a local horse going from a maiden to a win in the Guineas. He looked a good thing (in the Derby) and just went amiss."

Clarke tried in vain to discover what went wrong and decided to send the then precocious three-year-old to the paddock.

Mahaffey Road spent virtually the next 10 months there before what proved an unsuccessful three-start campaign in May and June this year.

"He wasn't himself, he was racing six to eight lengths below his best," Clarke said.

"When you tip them out as three-year-olds, you hope they come back better next prep, but he came back worse.

"It was really a case of going back to the drawing board with him."

That board is a blank canvas before Mahaffey Road makes a comeback in the feature $11,500 NT TAB Handicap (1200m).

"I don't know what to expect from him, to be honest," Clarke said.

"I'm hoping he shows us something like his three-year-old form, but really anything is a bonus."

An important positive for Mahaffey Road is regular jockey Richie Oakford's return from suspension to take the ride and Clarke knows full well what a great combination they make.

"They have a real affinity with each other," he said of Oakford and Mahaffey Road.

"Richie has ridden him all the way through.

"He's a really underrated rider Richie, he does a good job any time I put him on one of my horses."

Story courtesy of Gregor Mactaggart, NT News