World ready for war

War Of The World will try to maintain his upward curve as he turns out in Saturday’s zeturf.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

Trainer Tim Vaughan is hoping the seven-year-old can book his ticket for either the Paddy Power or Boylesports.com Gold Cups back at Prestbury Park later in the year with victory at the weekend.

The seven-year-old has won one of two starts since switching from Mouse Morris’ yard at the end of last year and was last seen finishing second in a Listed event at Market Rasen.

Vaughan said: “The plan is to run War Of The World in the zeturf.com Handicap Chase. He also has an entry in the sportingbet.com Handicap Chase on Friday but Saturday is our main target.

“The Paddy Power Gold Cup or the Boylesports.com Gold Cup in December would definitely be targets – one or the other – if he competes to a good level this weekend.

“He won first time out for us at Stratford in nice fashion and he ran a blinder in a £60,000 (€64,000) Listed race at Market Rasen.

“AP (McCoy) rode him last time and said he would definitely be better going left-handed. He was staying on well that day and we will probably ride him a bit closer to the pace at Cheltenham and hopefully he will run well for us.

“He looks a proper horse for the winter, he is maturing and he is still improving throughout his races.

“For a horse who has run over fences a considerable number of times, he is still improving, his jumping is getting better and he is relaxing more in his races.

“I am hoping there is still some more improvement.”