Monday 8 August 2016 10:33, UK
Gordon Elliott plans to give Don Cossack just one run before he defends his Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup crown next March - as long as the star chaser shows sufficient progress from injury.
The nine-year-old is well on the road to recovery from a tendon problem, but Elliott reiterated that the six-times Grade One scorer would be retired if it looks as though he might not reach the heights to which he has grown accustomed.
"He scanned OK a few weeks ago," the County Meath handler told At The Races.
"I think he could be back within a month, then he'll start on roadwork.
"He'll probably do eight weeks of that, get re-scanned and if everything is OK we'll start back with him then - but everything will have to be 110 per cent.
"It'll be day by day. If he stays OK, he'll be back and if he doesn't, he'll have a happy retirement.
"If the horse is 110 per cent the plan would be to have one run - I'm not sure where yet - and then the Gold Cup, but if he's not 110 per cent he'll be retired.
"He doesn't owe us anything."
