RACING: Christy Roche looks like being double-handed in Saturday's John Smith's Aintree Grand National, but significantly, the Curragh trainer has also decided to send his star mare Like-A-Butterfly to Liverpool.

The JP Manus-owned 11-year-old bounced back to Grade One winning form in last week's Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse and will try to follow up in Friday's Mildmay Novices' Chase.

Also likely to line up in the £75,000 Grade Two three-mile race are both Trabolgan and Comply Or Die, who finished ahead of Like-A-Butterfly in the SunAlliance at Cheltenham.

The likelihood of soft going has convinced Roche to travel. He said: "The plan is to run in the three-mile race. The ground is on the easy side over there and you would have to be very lucky to get that kind of ground at Punchestown so we're going to let her take her chance."

Roche confirmed that Le Coudray, the National top weight at 11-12, will run in the big race for the second year running and is likely to be joined by his stable companion Risk Accessor. "Le Coudray was a bit sore for a few days after he ran at Fairyhouse but he has been perfect for a while now," he said. "Risk Accessor is in the Topham too, but because of the weight he has in that he is more likely to run in the National."

Weather forecasts are predicting rain for most days this week at Liverpool which could see the Willie Mullins-trained Rule Supreme also take the trip across the Irish Sea. Mullins is likely to make a decision this morning ahead of Thursday's declarations as Rule Supreme has entries in both the Liverpool Hurdle and the Betfair Bowl (Formerly Martell Cup) over fences.

The Co Carlow trainer had been leaning towards a return to fences after Rule Supreme's third to Inglis Drever in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham and ground conditions could help make his mind up.

Mullins also confirmed yesterday that the National favourite, Hedgehunter, is in good form and remains on course for another crack at the big fences.

Irish horses had to make do with a winner a day at last year's Liverpool festival but on the back of a record breaking Cheltenham there is understandable optimism that that total can be bettered this time. Moscow Flyer will again be the Friday standard-bearer as he tries to follow up last year's success in the Melling Chase while the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle over three miles is a possible target for the Fairyhouse winner Asian Maze. Along with Teeming Rain she also figures among the entries for Thursday's Grade Two Mersey Hurdle.

Saturday's main support, the Aintree Hurdle, is set to include both Brave Inca and Accordion Etoile who were third and fourth, respectively, in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

In other news yesterday, GM Ireland will sponsor the novice hurdle on the final day of the Punchestown Festival. The 30,000 race will be known as the Opel Novice Hurdle.