A fresh campaign brings fresh hope to connections of the vanquished. And none has fallen from grace like Detroit City, whose return to action on Saturday comes after an extensive period of recuperation.

Below-par runs in the Champion Hurdle - for which he started 6-4 favourite - and at Aintree convinced Terry Warner, his owner, that something was amiss. Warner explored the full range of those possibilities yesterday.

In summer Detroit City underwent a wind operation, treatment for stomach ulcers and extensive therapy on a damaged back. “I think his back was the worst of it,” Warner said, “but we really won't know until he runs at Ascot.”

Warner thinks that a blunder at Sandown in February seems the likeliest cause. “He made a hash of the last and might have ripped his back,” he said, “or we might have given him too much racing and he got fed up with it. He's had a much longer holiday this year and Philip is very happy with him.”

Despite a glittering card at Haydock, where Alan King will saddle My Way De Solzen against Kauto Star, Exotic Dancer and Turpin Green in the Betfair Chase, Detroit City faces stiff competition in the Coral Ascot Hurdle over two-and-a-half miles.

Hardy Eustace is a confirmed runner, while further rain would tempt connections of last term's leading staying novice, Wichita Lineman. Should the latter run at Ascot, Tony McCoy would relinquish the ride aboard Exotic Dancer at Haydock. However, Wichita Lineman has an alternative in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Dylan Thomas is out of the Japan Cup after he failed a test for Equine Viral Arteritis when quarantined in Tokyo. Officials suggested that raised antibody levels in his bloodstream may have resulted from a recent vaccination against the notifiable disease.