The fancied Au Naturel is among five horses awaiting riders at the Otago meeting today.
"We are really short of senior riders and trainers are waiting to see if there are scratchings to make riders available," Mark Davidson, the resident Otago stipendiary steward, said.
He said permission had been granted.
Jamie Bullard is under suspension and David Walsh is sidelined with a medial ligament injury sustained at Invercargill on Sunday. He has had physiotherapy to his knee and has the leg strapped. He will visit his doctor tomorrow for an indication when he will be able to return to riding.
Daniel Bothamley is in the North Island and Andy Webb has shifted back north.
Other horses without riders declared for today are Leeboy and Royal Rave (race 6), Slam Dunk (race 7) and Kid Columbus and Savanur (race 8).
Au Naturel (race 5) has been placed in his last three starts, the last two with KC Walters the rider. He has the mount on Numero De Lago today.
Mind Reader (race 7) and Treat (race 8) are last-start winners on a dead track at Wingatui on March 10 who could repeat on easier footing today. The track was rated slow yesterday.
Mind Reader won on heavy footing at Pukekohe before transferring last winter from Rudy Liefting to Isla Bank owner-trainer Graham Tippett.
The Michael Pitman-trained Treat won on a slow track at Ascot Park last month.
• He's Remarkable enhanced his prospects for his main aim, the group one $2 million Doncaster Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on April 21, with a decisive fresh-up win in the Newmarket Handicap at Newcastle yesterday.
The 4yr-old Roger James-trained entire, who has 52kg in the Doncaster, has his next start in the group one $A400,000 George Ryder Stakes (wfa, 1500m) at Rosehill on April 7. He settled midfield yesterday.
Rider Corey Brown had him challenging for the lead with 100m to run and he reached the front at the 50m.
