Morris looks to run War again

News: Trainer Mouse Morris is considering a tilt at the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup on April 26th for Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition.

"Punchestown is the obvious place to go but we'll just hold fire on any decisions for a while," he said yesterday.

"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."

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'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."

War Of Attrition has earned an official rating of 170 with his impressive victory last Friday.

The figure puts Mouse Morris's seven-year-old on the same mark as Best Mate after he won the first of his three blue ribands in 2002.

Explaining his calculations, British Horseracing Board handicapper Phil Smith said: "War Of Attrition came out at 170 on a line through L'Ami, who is a rock-solid 158.

"L'Ami has come out at 158 in his last three runs in the King George, Racing Post Chase and Gold Cup and he is a good yardstick.

"Hedgehunter has come out on 166 and Forget The Past on 159.

"Kicking King was rated 175 after last year's race, Best Mate was 175 in 2003 and 2004 but 170 after the first of his three Gold Cups.

"That puts War Of Attrition on a par with Best Mate (in 2002), which is not bad for starters.

"I suspect in time War Of Attrition could be better than 170 but that's all I can rate him at the moment."

Fota Island is on course for the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree next month. The gelding put up a personal best performance at the Cheltenham Festival last Wednesday when he finished a nine-length second to runaway winner Newmill in the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Straw Bear, a close second in last Tuesday's Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle, could run at both Aintree and Punchestown "ground permitting" before he has a summer break.

Nick Gifford's five-year-old looked all over the winner but lost valuable momentum at the final flight and was beaten only by a neck by Noland in the opening race of the Cheltenham Festival. "What we do with him now would very much depend on the weather. He'd want good to soft ground or even good ground as long as there was moisture around," Gifford said.