Cash Injection For National

John Smith's have boosted prize money in the Grand National by £100,000, meaning the 2008 renewal of the world's most famous race will be worth a record £800,000 to the winner.

The news was announced as this year's winner of the race, Silver Birch, was paraded by trainer Gordon Elliott at his Trim stables in County Meath ahead of a return to action next autumn.

The 10-year-old was spring-heeled over the gigantic fences in April to provide Elliott with success on the world stage, but he has been ruled out for the current campaign after heat was found in his near-fore leg.

Elliott, who worked for shrewd cookies Martin Pipe and Tony Martin before setting up as a trainer in his own right in 2006, said: 'The horse isn't too bad ? we just got the warning that there was heat in his off-fore and decided to back off him.

'The vet will look at him next week to decide if we fire it.

'We could have pushed on and tried to get him ready for Aintree again in April but we decided to give him time, and he will go off to his owner's next week for a break.

'He will have about 10 months off and we will bring him back about this time next year.

'In the build-up to the National we will run him in the cross-country race at Cheltenham again as that really freshened him up.

'But I couldn't be happy with him and he is only 10-years-old ? don't forget Amberleigh House was 12 when he won it.'

(C) PA Sport