Papillon to defend Aintree title

Papillon has been made 8 to 1 joint favourite with last year's runner up Mely Moss to retain his Martell Grand National crown after the Government yesterday gave permission for Irish-trained horses to travel to Britain.

The announcement came in the wake of the Ladbrokes move to resume ante-post betting on Irish horses for the Grand National in the belief that the Department of Agriculture was on the verge of changing their position.

However, it has emerged that the Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, had indicated to the Aintree authorities as early as Friday night his willingness to relax restrictions in relation to the transport of racehorses to the UK in the midst of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Irish interest at the Aintree meeting which starts on Thursday will centre on Saturday's National as Irish-trained entries were taken out of the other festival races some time ago. But the appearance of Papillon and the six other Irish horses in the four and a half mile spectacular is dependant on them not returning immediately to Ireland.

"This is a one way ticket for the foreseeable future," was how one Department of Agriculture official described the move yesterday but Papillon's trainer Ted Walsh wasn't complaining and he said: "It's a very pleasant surprise and it looks as though we're going to Aintree. The horse is well and Ruby (Walsh) will ride. I just hope the horse jumps round and runs a good race."

A Department of Agriculture spokesman stressed the guidelines which will have to be adhered when Irish horses travel to Britain but also urged Irish race fans not to travel to Liverpool for the race.

"Horses will be allowed travel provided they do not return until the quarantine period which has been deemed appropriate has run its course. That quarantine period will be assessed as the disease evolves in the UK.

"We are asking the race going public not to travel. Whether they follow that advice is up to them but we would still prefer if they stayed at home and watched the Grand National on TV," he said. The Government's decision caught many professionals within racing by surprise but the decision was described as "a light at the end of the tunnel" by the Turf Club chief executive Brian Kavanagh.

"It's bringing some element of normality back and it's a welcome bit of news. We didn't specifically discuss it with the Minister's expert group when the Turf Club and the IHA met them on Friday but I am not totally surprised after reading comments last week about trainers keeping their horses in training for the National," Kavanagh said.

A decision on when racing in Ireland will resume is expected either today or tomorrow but this latest announcement will be welcome news to the top owner John Magnier and trainer Aidan O'Brien who can now travel some of their hugely valuable three-year-old classic prospects to Newmarket for the Guineas races on May 5th-6th.

Istabraq, however, will not be travelling to Liverpool for another crack at the Martell Hurdle and a Ballydoyle spokesman said: "I don't think Aidan ever mentioned going for it anyway. The horse is fine but I'm not sure what Aidan has in mind for him."

The weekend focus will be on the Grand National which Irish horses have won for the last two years. The Paddy Power firm make Papillon, who landed a monster gamble last year, their 8 to 1 joint favourite with Mely Moss and the next best of the Irish prospects is Arthur Moore's veteran Feathered Leader at 25 to 1.

Barry Geraghty will ride the Ginger McCain-trained Hanakham now that Ruby Walsh is on Papillon.

Paddy Power: 8 Papillon & Mely Moss, 11 Beau, 12 Earthmover, 14 Dark Stranger & Moral Support, 16 Noble Lord & Smarty, 20 Edmond & Inn At The Top. Other Irish horses: 25 Feathered Leader, 33 Hollybank Buck, 40 Inis Cara & Merry People, 50 Rathbawn Prince & Delgany Royal.