Hunterville horseman Ken Duncan may have saved the best for last with arguably the best bred galloper in the RC Hotel and Motor Lodge 145th Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton on Saturday.
Shamal, Duncan's nine-year-old gelding by Zabeel out of the Volksraad mare Mistrale, is the defending grand national champion and is in better form in this season's lead up to the $75,000 5600m event.
In this year's lead up Shamal won the Ken and Roger Browne Memorial, the Waikato Steeplechase and finished fourth in the Hawkes Bay Steeple before winning a 3900m restricted open over the big fences at Te Rapa last start.
Duncan is an astute judge and is certain to have Shamal primed and ready for a repeat win over the 5600m journey tomorrow. He will be forced to carry 4kg more than he did last year, but with Buddy Lammas in the saddle that will not be a problem.
Since launching his jumping career as a rider Lammas and Duncan have formed a formidable partnership combining to win last year's national steeple and then on Wednesday just gone to win the Hospitality New Zealand Canterbury 130th Grand National Hurdles (4200m) with 20/1 shot Alfie Dee.