Attrition's next outing still undecided

Connections of War Of Attrition will "hold fire" before making any running plans for the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner…

Connections of War Of Attrition will "hold fire" before making any running plans for the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.

Tipperary trainer Mouse Morris is considering a tilt at the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup on April 26th with his newly-crowned champion. But he said: "Punchestown is the obvious place to go but we'll just hold fire on any decisions for a while.

"He lost a few kilos during the race and with the travelling but he's actually back up to what we call his racing weight now."

He has, however, ruled out a trip to Aintree for the Betfair Bowl with his stable star. He added: "Aintree is a flat track and he'd be better on a stiffer track."

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The seven-year-old, whom Morris describes as having "the right attitude and is very laid back", has recovered well from his exertions last Friday when he recorded a memorable victory under 39-year-old Conor O'Dwyer in chasing's blue riband.

War Of Attrition allayed any stamina fears by running on strongly up the Cheltenham hill, after prodigious leaps at the last two fences, to account for Hedgehunter by two and a half lengths.

"There's not a bother on him," reported Morris, who was quietly confident his charge would see out the extended three and a quarter miles. "He should have won a point-to-point as a four-year-old and got three miles in Leopardstown but with so many runners traffic problems were my biggest worry.

"He's always been a good jumper, a natural, bold jumper, and it was a great win. We were just lucky he had plenty of petrol left."