Little doubt but that War of Attrition will get three miles

IT takes two to tango and, on that basis, it will be disappointing should Mouse Morris decide to sidestep Saturday's James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal with War Of Attrition.

It is a contest which has attracted 11 entries, there definitely won't be 11 runners, and badly needs War Of Attrition to go head-to-head with Beef Or Salmon. The chances are he will face the starter. Speaking yesterday, Morris said: “I want to run him over three miles at Down Royal, but don't want to tear the bottom out of the horse on heavy ground.”

The word from the track was that the ground on the chase track was now heading towards yielding, so a couple of reasonable days would almost certainly see War Of Attrition taking his chance.