War of Attrition out of Gold Cup

2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup champion, War of Attrition, has been withdrawn from the 2009 renewal.

Trainer Mouse Morris announced on Tuesday that War of Attrition had been scratched from the Gold Cup card after a veterinary scan following suspicions of a setback.

“War Of Attrition will not run in the Gold Cup as he was a bit jarred when we pulled him out of his box on Sunday,” Morris was quoted as saying by the Press Association.

Although War of Attrition was subsequently proved to be in perfect health, Mouse Morris made the decision to pull him from the 2009 Cheltenham Gold Cup and instead target the 2009 Grand National.

“We gave him a scan and that came back perfect, which was a big relief, but I’m not going to take a chance with him.”

“I would say he’ll be sound by Friday and he’ll probably go for the National at Aintree now. It’s disappointing, but the National is a good race to go for with him and we’ll be happy enough if he wins that.”