Racing: Cheltenham Gold Cup hero War Of Attrition could run in the King George VI Chase following his defeat at the hands of Beef Or Salmon at the weekend.
Mouse Morris had stated that his stable star would stay in Ireland before bidding for an historic double in the blue riband event of steeplechasing.
But connections now feel he needs decent ground to be seen at his best following his surprise reverse and they believe there is more chance of good ground at Kempton at Christmas than in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown.
"All is fine with him and looking back on Saturday he just doesn't handle that ground as well as others," Morris told the Racing Post.
"We'll give him a few quiet days and I intend putting him in the Kempton race as the ground at Leopardstown over Christmas might come up very testing."
Morris added: "He was a winner everywhere bar the line on Saturday and he simply doesn't go on that ground."
War Of Attrition's conqueror could bid to go one better than his second place last year in the Betfair Chase at Haydock a week on Saturday.
He chased home Kingscliff on that occasion but it was arguably his best run outside of Ireland.
"It's possible we could travel to Haydock but we'll wait until closer to the time before making any firm decisions," said Hourigan.
"We have the Lexus at Christmas obviously as his next race but depending on how he recovers from Saturday we might consider the Betfair race."