Willie Mullins, the chairman of the Racehorse Trainers' Association, has attacked the Department of Agriculture over its late decision to allow Irish horses travel to Aintree, saying many of his members feel "betrayed" by the train of events over recent days.
An unhappy Mullins said: "We were told a fortnight ago not to go to Britain or it might jeopardise a return to racing here in Ireland, so most trainers withdrew their horses from Aintree when asked.
"A lot of National Hunt trainers had been aiming horses at Aintree but they did what they were asked to do and now we feel like we've been walked up the garden path.
"It's not a great gesture to be allowed bring Irish horses to Aintree when it's too late for most trainers to do that. A lot of people are very unhappy with the way it was handled and many feel betrayed for the want of a better word.
"The Liverpool authorities knew on Friday evening that Irish horses would be allowed travel, but we in the Trainers' Association weren't informed until Monday morning."
Some races at the three-day Aintree festival have been reopened to new entries but there will be a comparatively small Irish presence in total, including in the Martell Grand National which will have less of an Irish challenge than expected.
The Dessie Hughes-trained pair of Rathbawn Prince and Delgany Royal have already been ruled out, as has the Arthur Moore-trained Feathered Leader.
It also looks like the outsider, Inis Cara, could run for an English-based trainer after a difference of opinion over jockey arrangements between the owners and Limerick trainer Michael Hourigan.
The owners, the Nancy Hogan syndicate, want the English-based jockey, Robert Widger, to ride Inis Cara in the National, while Hourigan favours one of his regular jockeys, his son Michael or Robbie McNally.
"I still have the horse in the yard and he is supposed to run on Saturday, but I have spoken to the owners and told them to get a new trainer. Who that will be, I don't know," Hourigan said yesterday.
Feathered Leader has also been ruled out, and trainer Arthur Moore said: "He will not run in the National. The problem of leaving him over in England is not really satisfactory. I've nothing else in mind for him - it's hard making plans at the moment."
That could leave just three horses trying to complete a hat-trick of Grand National victories for Irish runners. Papillon continues at the head of the ante-post market, while Francis Flood could be in line for the ride on the Tony Martin-trained 33 to 1 hope Hollybank Buck. Garrett Cotter has been booked for the ride on John Queally's Merry People.
