The ante-post Citroen Supreme Novices' Hurdle favourite Cardinal Hill was yesterday confirmed a runner at Navan on Sunday. Pulled out of an engagement at Punchestown last Sunday because of the ground, Cardinal Hill will now have his Cheltenham pipeopener in the Bank Of Ireland Finance Novice Hurdle.

Trainer Noel Meade said: "Cardinal Hill will run on Sunday. The ground at Navan will obviously be soft but it will be fresh ground and not the sort that faced us at Punchestown. It shouldn't be a problem for him."

Cardinal Hill was promoted to favouritism for the Cheltenham race after bookmakers briefly suspended betting on it following rumours about the well being of Joe Mac, who is also owned by JP McManus.

Meanwhile, Francis Hyland of the Irish National Bookmakers Association has welcomed the Government's plans for making up the shortfall due to the abolition of the betting levy.

The on-course bookmakers will have a turnover charge of 0.3 per cent to yield £270,000 and an additional fixed rate charge of £370,000. Off-course bookmakers face a bill of £3.3 million.

Hyland said: "We will be paying our maximum but we are not crying about it. This initiative is essential to the well-being of Irish racing. We will play our part even if it is painful.

"We have now got to increase our turnover and make the best of it. We have always been positive about this because there have to be alternative ways for financing racing."

The Irish Horseracing Authority has issued a statement saying it is "satisfied" that the Government's new proposals for the financing of racing will yield enough money to allow the Authority maintain its plans for this year.

The IHA add that they will be entering into discussions with the Minister for Agriculture and the on-course bookmakers on how to allocate the new fixed rate charges.