Davids Lad decision now due on Tuesday

Connections of Davids Lad must now wait until Tuesday to discover whether Ireland’s main fancy for the Martell Cognac Grand National will be allowed to run at Aintree next month.

The long-running affair has been dragged into another week following the conclusion of a two-day hearing in the Dublin High Court today into the six-week suspension given to the Tony Martin-trained gelding by the Naas stewards, and upheld by the Irish Turf Club.

“There was no decision today and judgement has been reserved until 11am on Tuesday morning. A

decision will be given at that time,” said Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan.

“It’s very difficult to know which way it will go. Both sides stated their cases.”

The saga began when Davids Lad, owned by the four-strong Eddie Joe’s syndicate, finished last in the Paddy & Helen Cox Memorial Newlands Chase at Naas on February 23.

The stewards found the racecourse had been used as a training ground and that jockey Timmy Murphy had made insufficient effort aboard the horse.

Murphy was banned for seven days, Martin fined €1,000 and Davids Lad banned for 42 days.

The suspension is due to end on April 6, the day after the Grand National.

The horse’s owners took their case to court after their appeal against the suspension was turned down by the Turf Club’s Appeals & Referrals Committee.

The owners then successfully made an ex-parte application to the High Court for a stay on the decision which was then challenged by the Turf Club.

That prevented Davids Lad from running in the Mildmay Of Flete Challenge Cup at Cheltenham on Wednesday.