War Of Attrition's first attempt at three miles in next week's Lexus Chase at Leopardstown is being described as a "finding-out exercise - in every way" by trainer Mouse Morris.
The star chaser faces a Grade One clash with Beef Or Salmon and the Grand National winner Hedgehunter on the back of a disappointing effort in the John Durkan Chase earlier this month.
A stomach problem was diagnosed for that blip on an otherwise impressive season, and War Of Attrition will attempt next Wednesday to get back on the trail of a possible attempt on the Gold Cup.
"Coming off a run like that, it is a bit like putting your head back on the block again," Morris conceded. "But there were three of mine who ran terrible that day, and since then everything has been running up to its mark, so it looks like they are all fine again."
Morris and jockey Conor O'Dwyer have long believed War Or Attrition will come into his own over longer distances, but doubts remain over his stamina.
"He does have a lot of boot, and when they have that much speed there has to be a question mark about them staying. But I do think he should stay. He is not a free-running type of horse. Still, it will be a finding-out exercise - in every way," Morris said.
The Co Tipperary trainer will also be in Grade One action at Leopardstown on Tuesday, when his Cheltenham and Aintree winner Fota Island will take on Moscow Flyer et al in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase.
"The ground being the way it is should suit him," Morris said.
One horse who won't be at Leopardstown over the holidays, however, is the former AIG Champion Hurdle winner Foreman, who misses the Durkan New Homes Novice Chase on Monday in favour of going to Newbury later in the week.
"He will run over fences at Newbury and Tony McCoy will be riding at Sandown on Monday," confirmed Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus yesterday.
Foreman, trained in France by Thierry Doumen, had been a possible for the St Stephen's Day feature at Leopardstown, but that Grade One will now be an all-home affair, with the unbeaten Justified the likely favourite.
As a result, McCoy is free to team up with the Henrietta Knight-trained Impek in the King George VI Chase at Sandown.
Berry also indicated that the 2003 winner, World Wide Web, will miss Tuesday's Paddy Power Chase in favour of a tilt at the Welsh Grand National on the same day.
The double champion hurdler Hardy Eustace will bypass the Christmas festival and instead will make his long-awaited reappearance at Punchestown on New Year's Eve.
The newly-installed New Year Hurdle will be the first test of Hardy Eustace's season, and trainer Dessie Hughes believes it will be the ideal kick-off for his stable star.
"At the back of my mind this race was the plan once I knew he was qualified, but I wanted to keep it to myself," he said. "I don't want to take on the good horses at Leopardstown, as they have already had a couple of races this season. But he is fit enough for this and we are happy with him."
Paul Nolan is also looking beyond the holidays for his star chaser Cloone River, who looks like running in next month's Victor Chandler Chase.
"He looks very well and appears in great form. We are getting a lot of work into him at present and if everything goes to plan we will go for the Victor Chandler before Cheltenham or Punchestown.
"He has only won two chases but he won both of them easily. He is versatile and has won on all sorts of going. But he would prefer better ground," Nolan said.
