War Of Attrition

Mouse Morris is ready to let his 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition return to the highest level in the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.

The veteran finished a fine second in the Gowran Park Champion Chase on his comeback a month ago.

Morris said: "He's in at Thurles on Thursday, but the plan is for him to run up in the north. There's not a bother on him and he's come on a good bit for his last run."

He went on: "Whether that's enough or not, we'll have to wait and see, but I'm happy with him. He's getting on now and probably wants the ground a bit softer than he used to. It won't be ideal, but I suppose it's going to be as good for the goose as the gander."

Dessie Hughes will be watching the weather reports over the next few days before finalising his plans for the race.

Hughes has Schindlers Hunt and Siegemaster entered in the Grade One event, but it is unlikely they will both run as they prefer different ground conditions.

Hughes said: "Schindlers Hunt might run, but if it comes up heavy he won't. At the moment we would like to run him, but the forecast for Friday is quite bad and if they get the deluge of rain they are expecting it will go heavy.

"We half intend to run Siegemaster in the second-season novice race on the same card (ladbrokes.com Chase), but if it did go heavy, which suits him, we might chance him in the big one.

"The race he had at Wexford was ideal, it just left him right for something like this. Nobody would begrudge Schindlers a big one. It will happen this year, hopefully."