Attrition Puts Down Cheltenham Marker

War Of Attrition sent out a formidable message to those hoping to wrest the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup crown from his grasp with a smooth seasonal debut in the Star 'Best For Racing' Chase at Punchestown.

The Mouse Morris-trained seven-year-old announced his arrival in the premier league when lowering the colours of Kicking King in this Listed content 12 months ago and had little trouble in following up.

After the withdrawal of Dix Villez, War Or Attrition faced only five rivals, although he was decidedly weak in the market and having opened up at 4-7, drifted to 4-5 before being returned the 8-11 market leader.

His friendlessness was undoubtedly down to the support for Noel Meade's Watson Lake, who was gambled on all day and sent off at 6-4.

The latter's jockey, Paul Carberry, tracked Conor O'Dwyer aboard War Of Attrition throughout and the two big guns took command rounding the turn into the straight.

Carberry's confident style gave the illusion that the Gold Cup winner had a fight on his hands, but O'Dwyer settled matters when getting a fine leap out of his mount at the second-last before starting to draw clear.

War Of Attrition ? who in the main had jumped well apart from a mistake at the top of the hill ? was then kept up to his work and cantered home 11 lengths ahead of Watson Lake.

The pair pulled 17 lengths clear of Barrow Drive, with the remainder of the field well strung out on the soft ground.

Bookmakers wasted no time in trimming War Of Attrition's Gold Cup odds for next March with the sponsors, William Hill and Cashmans all offering 3-1, while Blue Square were less impressed and went 4-1 from 9-2. VC Bet went 5-2 from 4-1, with Paddy Power 7-2 from the same price.

Morris was suitably relieved by the outcome and revealed War Of Attrition will probably follow a similar route to Cheltenham that he enjoyed last year.

'That's a big relief. He was there to be knocked down, but has won well,' he said.

'This is a step towards March and it is a privilege to have a horse like this. They went a good gallop and he's having a good blow now.

'They went such a good gallop that I thought he might blow up, but he is much more a man of a horse now and has got much stronger.

'He'll probably go to the north next for the James Nicholson Wine Merchant Chase (November 4 at Down Royal) or he could run in the John Durkan instead.

'I'd prefer to keep him at home until March if I can and we'll look at the Lexus Chase at Christmas instead of the King George unless something goes drastically wrong.

'He doesn't act on heavy ground, but soft is fine and I'll probably do the same as last year and give him a break between January and February.'

O'Dwyer, who won his second Gold Cup aboard the Michael O'Leary-owned gelding, was also thrilled with the performance.

'I was delighted with him. He jumped super and travelled well. They went fast enough and went a good gallop,' he said. 'He has definitely strengthened up and looked that way when he came back in after the summer.'

'I'd expect a nice bit of improvement from him, it was a good test and he couldn't have done any more.'

(C) PA Sport