SANDRACER.COM - Silver Birch Won't Defend Grand National

Silver Birch will not defend his 2007 Grand National title this jumps season (2008), due to injury. Not a long term injury as such, but an injury that will interrupt the horse's campaign to the extent that Irish trainer Gordon Elliott feels it is unfair to the 10 year old Silver Birch.

"He gave himself a knock to his near-fore and while it's not too serious, after talking to the owner we've decided to give him a year off," said Elliott.

"It's nothing serious and I suppose if we rushed him we could have him back after Christmas, but a bang is a bang.

"If he wasn't the horse he was, he could be doctored up and rushed back but he doesn't deserve that and it might do him more harm in the long run.

"Since we got him last year we've never had a day's trouble with him and, if anything, he had got stronger this year.

"But that's jump horses for you and this is very disappointing for everybody at the yard," he told the Racing Post.