Harchibald Swerves Punchestown Noel Meade has ruled the mercurial Harchibald out of the Maplewood Developments Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.The Co Meath handler will instead be represented in the Grade One contest by the progressive Iktitaf.'I said all along that if the ground got heavy, like it is today, he (Harchibald) wouldn't run, and I'm not going to risk him on it,' Meade told At The Races.'I spoke to the track and it's going to be too soft so he will be switched to the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (November 25) if the ground is reasonable there, which at the moment it is.'It looks at this moment as if Iktitaf will take his chance instead. I suppose if he does run it will be the acid test to see if he can cut it with the big guns.'It will be his first time taking them on and he could do with one or two chances against them before we knock it on the head, but I think he will put up a good show.'(C) PA Sport
