Vital scan for War of Attrition

Former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner War Of Attrition faces a key scan on his injured tendon next week which is likely to reveal whether he will be back on the track this season.

Mouse Morris’ eight-year-old had the racing world at his feet when he waltzed away with the 2006 renewal of the Festival showpiece.

But he failed to win in three starts last season and was found to have heat in his leg following a routine piece of work in March.

“He’s been ridden out for the last nine or 10 weeks now, an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, but it’s very gentle hill work,” said Morris.

“He got a leg tendinitis – but luckily enough we caught it in time.

“We sent him over to get the stem-cell regeneration in Canterbury and (vet) David Chapman-Jones is coming over next week to see how it is going.

“It’s a bit early to say if he will come back as good as ever. It’s not even a year yet and they normally take a full year – but the fact he is being ridden out has given the whole yard a boost.

“If he does run this year he will run by Christmas but if he doesn’t, Michael (O’Leary, owner) is quite keen to give him the full year off,” Morris told At The Races.

“Michael is in absolutely no hurry which is good news – It’s great to have an owner that understands.

“We will know more after he has been scanned next week.”