Racing: Suny assistance for Ballistic backers

GO BALLISTIC'S chances of winning the Grand National have been enhanced by news that Suny Bay, pulled up in the Gold Cup yesterday, will still go to Aintree. Simon Sherwood, his trainer, said yesterday: "Suny Bay is perfectly all right, he simply couldn't go the pace. All being well, he will go to Aintree."

Suny Bay has 11st 13lb in the National. If he runs the weights will be held down and Go Ballistic - now 10-1 favourite for the National with Ladbrokes after his startling performance yesterday - will be able to run off 10st 13lb. This means he will have to concede just 5lb to Double Thriller, who finished 31 lengths behind him in fourth place in the Gold Cup.

Ask Tom, who came back sore after finishing last of 11 finishers in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday, has been retired. "He'll go to Brian Stewart Brown, his owner, to enjoy his retirement in the company of Large Action and Arctic Call," his trainer, Tom Tate, said. Ask Tom, won eight of his 19 races, notably the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in 1997.

A Tote Jackpot carry over of pounds 295,473 goes to Fakenham today after only one 10p winner scooped a share of yesterday's fund, landing pounds 23,309. The Tote also announced a record on-course turnover for the three days at Cheltenham this year. A total of pounds 8,169,769 represented an increased of 11 per cent.

GRAND NATIONAL (Aintree, 10 April). Ladbrokes: 10-1 Go Ballistic, 12- 1 Double Thriller, 14-1 Addington Boy, General Wolfe, 16-1 Eudipe, Nahthen Lad, 20-1 others