Charlie Mann has claimed an identity mix-up involving one of his horses could have happened while the gelding was being shipped from Ireland.

He insisted he had no idea why markings on six-year-old Perouges Prince - due to make his debut for the trainer at Kempton on Wednesday - did not match his passport description.

Perouges Prince, who had been off the course since running at Gowran Park in March last year, was not allowed to run in the Sunley Builds National Hunt Novices' Hurdle after routine checks by a racecourse veterinary officer revealed discrepancies.