Davids Lad Suspended For Aintree Grand National

Tony Martin's leading Martell Cognac Grand National hope Davids Lad has been dramatically ruled out of the big race having been charged with using the racecourse as a training ground.

The nine-year-old trailed in last in the Paddy & Helen Cox Memorial Newlands Chase at Naas yesterday, and the stewards ruled that the racecourse had been used as a training ground and jockey Timmy Murphy had made insufficient effort.

The horse was hit with a 42-day ban while Murphy was suspended for seven Irish race days. Tony Martin was given a ?1,000 fine.

Davids Lad's suspension finishes on April 6 - one day after the National - but Murphy will still be able to ride at the Cheltenham Festival because his ban applies only to those days when there is racing in Ireland and there is none during the Festival.

Martin`s initial reaction was not to appeal but he has reconsidered that position.

He said: 'I`ll be consulting the owners and we are considering an appeal. Timmy should have been more forceful but I left it up to him as he knows the horse best.'

Davids Lad, who was still travelling well when falling at the fourth last in last season's Grand National, was having his first race since Fairyhouse at the end of November when he finished a distant last of four behind Foxchapel King in testing ground. He was reported distressed by the Turf Club vet on that occasion and Martin put this down to a wind problem which showed itself in soft or heavy ground.

He was not expected to make much impact in Sunday's two-mile race and started the 14-1 outsider of the eight runners. Speaking in yesterday's Racing Post, Martin said of the horse's prospects: 'He can`t get home in heavy ground with his wind problem and is probably not fast enough for two miles...it`s his first run back and he will need it but he is in great form and I am very happy with him.'

He was at the back almost from the start and he was losing touch soon after halfway. He stayed on at one pace in the straight but still finished last.

Martin had a lengthy post-mortem with the gelding's owners but both he and Murphy expressed themselves satisfied with the performance.

However, the stewards, chaired by former Irish champion jockey Liam Ward, promptly called for Martin over the public address system.

Martin told the stewards that the horse cannot perform on sticky ground but added that he thought he was fit enough, although he did not finish blowing until 20 minutes after the race. He also said that he felt the horse was in trouble passing the stands and that the ground was terrible.

Murphy added that he had been told to pop the horse off, get him settled and finish as close as he could. He said the horse jumped well enough but could never pick up. He squeezed him along from before the fifth last.

The Turf Club vet examined Davids Lad after Sunday's race on the instructions of the stewards and reported him post-race normal.

Martin's immediate reaction was to rule out an appeal. He said: 'That's what they have decided and that's that, and this has put him out of the National. He can run nowhere now except the Irish National.

'If I wanted to be smart I could have hung Murphy but I wasn't going to do that. But Conor O'Dwyer rode him in November, pushed him along and the horse was reported distressed.'

However, some of the owners, the Eddie Joe's Racing Syndicate, were last night keen that Martin should appeal.

On hearing that he had been suspended, Murphy said: 'I rode him today in the way I have always ridden him because of his wind problem. If you push him he chokes.

'I don't know whether I will appeal. I will have to talk to somebody before deciding.'

As it stands all ante-post bets on Davids Lad for the National are losers.