WAR OF ATTRITION made it two from two since returning from injury with an authoritative display in the Thurles Chase under Davy Russell yesterday.

The 2006 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, who scored at Punchestown last month on his first start for almost two years, travelled strongly in second place under Russell before taking the lead four fences from home.

From that point, the result was in very little doubt and the 2 to 7 favourite only had to be pushed out to score by eight lengths from Carrigeen Kalmia.

Victor Chandler were suitably impressed and cut the nine-year-old to 16 to 1 from 25 to 1 to regain his Gold Cup crown next March, with Blue Square offering the same price from 20s. Totesport held their price of 20 to 1, while William Hill are unchanged at 25s.

"It's another step on the ladder and I just want to take small steps at a time," trainer Mouse Morris said. "He's in the John Durkan and the Betfair Chase and all the usual races, but I've nothing in my head at the moment. I'd prefer to wait until the morning to see how he is."

Noel Meade has decided against running Harchibald at Dundalk tonight, but he could line up at the track next week instead. The four-time Grade One-winning hurdler has used the artificial surface a number of times to blow away the cobwebs for more important timber assignments, and he ran eighth in a decent event at the track last month.

Meade feels tonight's Carlingford Stakes is slightly too competitive and believes a race on next Friday's card would be more to Harchibald's liking.

"The race at Dundalk looks very good so I thought we'd wait to run him either at Dundalk over a mile and a half next Friday, or in the Morgiana Hurdle (November 16th at Punchestown)," said Meade. "If the ground was reasonable for the Morgiana he could run there, but I would say it is more likely he'll go to Dundalk."

The Morgiana Hurdle is the target for stablemate Jered, who is as short as 6 to 1 for next year's Champion Hurdle following his hugely impressive reappearance at Down Royal last week.

"I'm pretty sure Jered will go to the Morgiana Hurdle and it's quite possible both he and Harchibald could run, but, as I say, Dundalk is more likely for Harchi," the trainer added.

Edward O'Grady could rely on Tranquil Sea in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase as the Co Tipperary trainer bids for back-to-back victories in the Fairyhouse feature on November 30th.