China could drop back in trip China Rock could be set for a drop in class and trip at the Punchestown Festival. For the second year running in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, Mouse Morris' charge was travelling as well as anything coming down the hill on the second circuit, but whereas injury struck 12 months ago, this year stamina limitations were seemingly exposed. Morris felt that was partly down to the watered ground and concedes he may be better off in the Ryanair next year. But before this season is out he may run in the Guinness Handicap Chase over two and a half miles rather than the Punchestown Gold Cup over three miles and a furlong. "He just doesn't get the trip when it gets soft so he might be a Ryanair horse for next year rather than the Gold Cup," said Morris. "Once they put so much water on we knew we may as well go home. "He'll go to Punchestown and he'll either run in the Gold Cup or there's a two-and-a-half-mile handicap that he could run in. "He's got plenty of toe and he jumps super, but he probably just lacked a bit of match practice as he didn't run in the first half of the season."
