Defending champ out of Grand National hurdles
Seven of the eight runners in the field will carry 65kg with Delacroix to start the topweight at 65.5kg
Defending Grand National Hurdles winner Ngario is a shock omission from the 128th running of the race on Wednesday.
His jockey, Shaun Fannin, conceded the Kevin Myers-trained jumper was below his best when running third in Saturday’s Sydenham Hurdles when sent out a $1.70 tote favourite but he did carry 4.5kg more than the rest of the field.
Eight runners will contest the $75,000 Prestige Hospitality NZ Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m).
With Ngario out of the running, Fannin will switch to another Myers runner Kiddo.
The Istidaad gelding has only had one hurdle start for a second behind The Shackler in a maiden hurdle at Trentham back in June.
Aaron Kuru, the reigning jumps jockeys’ premiership winner, has picked up the ride on eight and a half length Sydenham Hurdles winner Go Go Gonzo with Saturday’s winning jockey Hamish Mcneill committed to Ready Eddie.
The Laura Knight-trained Ready Eddie did not run at Riccarton on Saturday but has shown a liking to the track in the past.
He was third in last year’s Grand National and won a 0-1 win hurdle on the final day of the carnival in 2015.
Seven of the eight runners in the field will carry 65kg with Delacroix to start the topweight at 65.5kg.
The John and Karen Parsonstrained Delacroix has had two flat runs since finishing third behind Zentangle and The Energizer in an open hurdle at Phar Lap on June 16.
Will Gordon will take the ride on Wednesday.
Richard Cully, who won the Crisp Steeplechase aboard Wells at Sandown on Sunday, returns to Riccarton to ride the John Wheeler trained Heistheone.
Cully and Heistheone finished second behind Go Go Gonzo in the Sydenham Hurdles.
Heistheone’s stablemate Yardstick, who dumped Cully at the first jump in Saturday’s Koral Steeplechase, will start in the Grand National Hurdle with Shaun Phelan aboard.
Riverton trainer Kelvin Tyler will have two runners with The Energizer joining Revenge, who was fourth in the Sydenham, in Wednesday’s Grand National.
Daniel Bothamley will ride The Energizer with Gabi Bourke retaining the ride aboard Revenge.
The Riccarton track remained a heavy 11 on Monday morning.