Tainui Teina remains on track for next month's Crisp and Grand National Steeplechases despite his misfortune in the Hiskens.The gelding lost his rider Richard Eynon at the second last fence in Saturday's Hiskens Steeple at Moonee Valley when he was unable to avoid the stricken Geeorb.Tainui Teina was racing behind the leader Geeorb who fell suffering a fracture to the near foreleg above the elbow and subsequently had to be euthanased.Tainui Teina did not fall in the incident and escaped injury a

Tainui Teina remains on track for next month's Crisp and Grand National Steeplechases despite his misfortune in the Hiskens.

The gelding lost his rider Richard Eynon at the second last fence in Saturday's Hiskens Steeple at Moonee Valley when he was unable to avoid the stricken Geeorb.

Tainui Teina was racing behind the leader Geeorb who fell suffering a fracture to the near foreleg above the elbow and subsequently had to be euthanased.

Tainui Teina did not fall in the incident and escaped injury as did New Zealander Eynon who will return to Melbourne to ride the Istidaad gelding in the Crisp (3900m) on August 16 and the $200,000 Grand National (4530m) on August 30, both at Sandown.

"The track was too hard for him. I wouldn't have run him if I knew it was going to be that hard," trainer Bryce Stanaway said.

"He likes heavy tracks and a bit of distance, but he came through the race well, he was bucking and kicking down at the beach this morning off old (retired stablemate) Elwood.

"We're heading towards the Crisp and the National and if his form warrants it I'll take him over to New Zealand for the Great Northern Steeplechase."

The Great Northern is run over an undulating and gruelling 6400m journey at Ellerslie in late September.

Two starts back Tainui Teina ran an encouraging 1-1/2-length second to Geeorb in the Macdonald Steeple (3900m) on a heavy track at Sandown on July 11.

"I set him for three major targets this year - the Grand Annual, the Grand National and the Great Northern," Stanaway said.

"Richard also rode him in the Grand Annual and said he was travelling like a winner in that race before he was dislodged coming down the hill on the second round."

Tainui Teina has won only three of his 83 starts, but he has been placed on 23 other occasions and has earned just over $100,000 prizemoney.

The rising eight-year-old's placings include a second to Zagata in the Great Southern Steeple at Mornington in May and a third in the 2007 SA Grand National Steeple at Victoria Park.

His most recent win was in a Warrnambool Steeple in July last year.