Davids Lad's owners face final hurdle

RACING: Owners of leading Martell Cognac Grand National fancy Davids Lad will today make a last-ditch attempt to have their horse cleared to run in the Aintree showpiece tomorrow week.

The four-strong Eddie Joe's syndicate are taking their case to the Supreme Court at 11 a.m. hoping to have a 42-day ban overturned or at least have the suspension lifted pending a full hearing of the appeal at a date to be arranged.

A full hearing of the appeal is unlikely, however, with tomorrow's outcome expected to be the suspension on the horse either being lifted or remaining in place pending a hearing of the appeal.

The long-running saga began when Davids Lad was hit with the ban after finishing last in the Paddy and Helen Cox Memorial Newlands Chase at Naas on February 23rd.

The nine-year-old was banned after the Naas stewards decided that the racecourse had been used as a training ground, ruling him out of Aintree.

Jockey Timmy Murphy was banned for seven days and trainer Tony Martin fined €1,000.

The horse's owners - brothers Eddie and Jimmy Moran, Nick Butterly and Mattie Lynch - took their case to court after their appeal against the suspension was turned down by the Turf Club's Appeals and Referrals Committee. The owners successfully made an ex-parte application to the High Court for a stay on the decision which was then challenged by the Turf Club, resulting in a two-day hearing at the High Court at which Justice Mella Carroll upheld the ban.

Davids Lad, who fell at the fourth last fence in last year's National when holding every chance, had been 14 to 1 second favourite for the Aintree marathon on April 5th. Ironically, the horse's ban ends the day after the big race.

Meanwhile, Henry Oliver has been booked by Richard Guest to ride Red Marauder in the Grand National. Guest, who will partner the Henrietta Knight-trained Chives in the race, wasted no time in snapping up the services of 21-year-old Oliver.

The Brancepeth trainer, who gained a famous victory on Red Marauder in the Aintree showpiece two years ago, gave the 13-year-old the green light to run earlier this week.

Oliver will be having his first Grand National ride, but Guest is to give him the mount on Mr Bossman in the Martell Cognac Sainsbury's Topham Chase so that he can have experience of the famous fences.