Anthony Honeyball has added his voice to those calling for changes to the National Hunt Chase, in the wake of last week’s running of the race at the Cheltenham Festival that has provoked lasting controversy. The Dorset trainer narrowly failed to win the race last year when his Ms Parfois led within the last 100 yards before being passed by Rathvinden.

“It’s a novice chase over four miles for amateur riders,” Honeyball said, pointing out the highly unusual combination of conditions for the National Hunt Chase. “In your wildest dreams … Why would you develop that race?

“Last year, I had a horse that was just perfect for it. What better horse could you have for an amateur rider and we got Will Biddick, who had been a professional. You couldn’t go far wrong.”

Honeyball said he was among those who found last week’s race difficult viewing, with three horses taking very tired falls at the remaining two fences and taking several minutes to rise to their feet. He pondered whether the race could be turned into a race for experienced chasers rather than novices, though he acknowledged that it would then be competing for runners with the Midlands National. At any rate, he has no great desire to see the race continue in its present form. “It might be tradition but it’s a pretty average tradition,” he said.

Honeyball had no sympathy for the stewards’ verdict that Declan Lavery had broken the rules by continuing on Jerrysback, eventually placed third. The stewards felt the horse was so tired he should have been pulled up and banned Lavery for 10 days but Lavery’s appeal will be held on Thursday and Honeyball evidently feels the verdict should be overturned.

“Jerrysback jumped two-out big because the one over there [on his inside] flopped over it. He was tired but he wasn’t [exhausted], he was just tired. Declan filled him up all the way down to the last, thought, ‘Will I jump it? Yes, he’s OK.’ Popped the last and just hands and heels all the way, rode it really well.”

Honeyball was speaking during a Grand National media morning at his Beaminster stable, from where he expects to send Ms Parfois and Regal Encore to the Aintree race a fortnight on Saturday. Ms Parfois finished tired when second at Uttoxeter on Saturday but a thorough veterinary examination suggests she has taken the race well.

“It’s going to be her last run of the season, so, if the ground’s right, we’re inclined to take our chance,” he said. “Another two weeks, we’d be going there all guns blazing. But it might make no difference. We’ll have a go.”

Aidan Coleman is expected to ride, while Richie McLernon is the most likely rider for Regal Encore, a fair third at Ascot recently on his first run for three months. “He needed that badly. Because of the stop-start nature of our season, he did blow up in that race, for sure. But Ritchie was delighted with him. He ran a really nice race and he looks in great order now.”

David Pipe is also expecting to have two National runners, Ramses De Teillee and Vieux Lion Rouge. Daklondike is still a possible runner but Pipe appeared doubtful about that idea, partly because the horse needs a testing surface and partly because he is a temperamental sort who refused to start at Newcastle last month.

Vieux Lion Rouge has been treated for stomach ulcers since he last ran, which allows Pipe to hope the chestnut may improve on his non-staying efforts in the past two Nationals. Ramses De Teillee is young for the race, at seven, but is 5lb “well in”, having run well since the weights were set, and that is too tempting a prospect to resist.

Elegant Escape has been taken out of the National, following his sixth place in last week’s Gold Cup. Connections report the horse is well but they would prefer not to tackle the Aintree race at this early stage of his career.