Flat meetings at Newmarket and Folkestone, plus a National Hunt card at Exeter.

First race 1.35pm, last race 5.35pm.

Naylor's Nag: Halmahera Recommended stake £6 win Yesterday's Naylor's Nag, Always Alight was a 6/1 winner Running total on an initial tax-free £100 bank Naylor's Nag: £73.08 (down £26.92)

Today's tip will be the last for a fortnight. Our estimable tipster will be taking a well-deserved rest. Normal service will resume on May 2.

Gifford's praise for his Brave Highlander Findon trainer Josh Gifford has heaped praise on Brave Highlander after the horse finished fourth in Saturday's Grand National.

Gifford said: "He's another Red Rum but not quite as good. I'm absolutely thrilled to bits and looking at Mr Embiricos (his owner), I think we'll be back next year."

Jockey Phlip Hide added: "He gave me a great ride. It's great to get in the money."

Meanwhile, Papillon landed the biggest Martell Grand National gamble in living memory and gave yet another Irish father-and-son, trainer-and-jockey combination an emotional victory in an incident-packed race at Aintree.

A betting plunge of seismic proportions which could see punters relieving bookmakers of around £10 million saw the Lafontaine gelding sent off at a starting price of 10-1 in the gruelling four-and-a-half mile marathon after being available at 33-1 early in the morning.

Amid scenes reminiscent of 1999 and the victory of Bobbyjo, the Irish contingent in a crowd nearing 60,000 yelled themselves hoarse as former Irish champion jockey Ruby Walsh galvanised his mount into repelling the strong finish of Mely Moss by one and a quarter lengths to give his father Ted a memorable first training success in the historic event.

Owned by American Betty Moran, a family member of the SmithKline Beecham empire and described by Walsh senior as his fairy godmother, Papillon had finished second to Bobbyjo in the 1998 Jameson Irish Grand National but injury problems had meant most of his performances this season had been below-par until finishing third in a Leopardstown hurdle race in March.

The brave jockey, still only 20 years old, had only just recovered from a broken collar bone before suffering the trauma of a fractured leg in a fall in the Czech Republic only to reopen the injury on the gallops, resulting in a further five-month absence.

All that was forgotten as he paid tribute to the winner as he dismounted in the unsaddling enclosure.

"He's unbelievable," the jockey exclaimed. "He's some jumper, from fence to fence.

Despite the fact that only 17 of the 40 starters finished the race there were no serious injuries although Micko's Dream was taken to the Leahurst Veterinary College for treatment after falling with four other horses at the first of the 30 fences.