Durkan beckons for War
War Of Attrition is set to run next in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on December 7 after being taken out of Haydock’s Betfair Chase at the five-day stage.
Trainer Mouse Morris is favouring a race nearer home after deciding not to send the 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero across the Irish Sea on Saturday where he would clash with another former blue riband winner Kauto Star.
“The Durkan would be the plan at the minute,” said the Tipperary trainer.
“I took him out of Haydock because of the ground really, especially when you have to take on real good horses, but he’s grand touch wood.”
War Of Attrition has yet to win the Durkan in two attempts, finishing fifth to Hi Cloy in 2005 and second to In Compliance a year layer.
The nine-year-old has, though, won both his starts at Punchestown and Thurles this autumn since returning from a long lay-off.
