Injured Young Hustler is out of the Grand National

Eighty six horses stood their ground at yesterday's forfeit stage for the Grand National at Aintree on 5 April. The major defector was Young Hustler, who has been ruled out for the season by his trainer, Nigel Twiston- Davies.

The 10-year-old damaged a near-fore suspensory ligament when working at the weekend. Twiston-Davies said yesterday: "There's not much wrong with him but he won't run again this season."

Master Oats, whose future is in the balance after he was pulled up in the Ericsson GSM Grand National Trial at Punchestown on Sunday, is still in the big race.

His trainer Kim Bailey is delaying a decision over the 1995 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner until the 11-year-old has had a chance to get over his exertions.

There were no other shocks among the 16 absentees, six of whom were already confirmed non-runners or not qualified.

n Yesterday's meeting at Carlisle was abandoned because of waterlogging. Today's card at Hexham was called off yesterday afternoon for the same reason.