Horse Racing: Papillon warms up for Aintree

Papillon, the 2000 Martell Grand National winner, was a staying-on fourth in a three-mile hurdle on soft ground at Punchestown on his final warm-up run before another crack at the Aintree marathon.

Ted Walsh’s 11-year-old, who was also remounted to finish fourth behind Red Marauder last April, was held up last of the seven runners by the trainer’s son Ruby.

And as the pace increased from halfway, Papillon was so outpaced for a time that he was a detached last.

However, stamina is his forte and he came into his own in the straight as he passed three horses to finish fourth, albeit a distant one, behind Be My Belle in the Athgarvan Hurdle.

‘‘Papillon is as fit and well as I can have him and the run will have brought him on though Ruby says he hopes he won’t be as sluggish at Aintree as he was today,’’ said Walsh senior.

‘‘It’s a matter now whether Liverpool switches him on. It has done in the past and I’d hope for good ground in fact the faster the better for him.’’

Papillon is 16-1 with William Hill to win the National for a second time on April 6.