Owners of leading Martell Cognac Grand National fancy Davids Lad are set to go the Supreme Court to have the horse’s 42-day suspension lifted.
The High Court ruled in favour of the Irish Turf Club, who were also awarded costs.
This means the Tony Martin-trained nine-year-old cannot run in the Aintree showpiece.
But the horse’s owners, the four-strong Eddie Joe’s syndicate, intend to have one final throw of the dice by appealing to Dublin’s Supreme Court.
“We got no joy this morning and we are not too happy,” said one of the owners, Mattie Lynch. “We will go to the Supreme Court.”
A date for a Supreme Court hearing has yet to be arranged.