Cyfor Malta will be permitted to run in next year's Martell Grand National after the British Horseracing Board unveiled a widely-expected rule change yesterday.

The Martin Pipe-trained five-year-old won last season's John Hughes Trophy over one circuit orf the National fences 48 hours before Earth Summit's stirring success and was to be aimed at the Aintree spectacular this time round.

Under the previous set of rules for the race, no horse under the age of seven was permitted to run.

But the change to allow the participation of six-year-olds reflects what the board described as "an evident and growing trend which has seen an increasing number of chasers starting their careers at four and five years of age and competing successfully at the highest level".

After three horses were tragically killed in this year's running of the world's most famous steeplechase, one of the criticisms which the race was subjected to was the presence of horses in the race who were of vastly inferior quality to the favourites and running from well out of the weights.

So in a further attempt to enhance the quality of horses attracted to take part in the race, the board has also decided to allow the handicapper discretion to allocate a weight to foreign-trained horses who qualify with a top-three finish in the Maryland Hunt Cup, Virginia Gold Cup, the Grand Steeplechase de Paris or the Velka Pardubicka.

Previously such participants have been required to carry an automatic top-weight.

Aintree clerk of the course Charles Barnett said: "Our objective has always been to have the best horses running in the Martell Grand National with as many as possible in the handicap.

"These very positive developments will assist us in achieving this objective."

Bookmakers Coral bet: 8-1 Cyfor Malta, 10-1 Teeton Mill, 14-1 Suny Bay, 16-1 Lord Gyllene, Seven Towers, Earth Summit, 20-1 Coome Hill, The Toiseach, 25-1 bar.