A change in the balloting system appears to have scuppered the chances of the major Guinness Galway Hurdle fancy Zeroberto running in tomorrow's feature race.

Monday's impressive winner earned an 11lb penalty for winning earlier in the week, a hike that normally would have earned Zeroberto a place in the race.

But a recent change in the rules means that the penalty will not apply and the Dermot Weld-trained horse is likely to miss out.

"It's a stupid rule and a wrong system," Weld said last night.

"The best horses should be allowed run, and it takes from the race that the probable favourite or joint favourite won't be able to run," the trainer added.

"I got it wrong, but no one seemed to know anything about it. I was thinking the same as Ansar (2001), who won the same race on Monday and then followed up in the Hurdle.

"The handicapper, Noel O'Brien, agrees with me, and I think it takes from the whole thing."