Suny Bay looks to have run his last race of the season. Having already been scratched from this Saturday's Scottish Grand National, the dual Martell Grand National runner-up was yesterday ruled out of the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown seven days later. Trainer Charlie Brooks said: "He definitely won't run in the Whitbread."

There are no other realistic options this term for the grey, who carried 12st into second place behind Earth Summit at Aintree 10 days ago and had earlier won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury.

The weights for the 42nd Whitbread are set to rise by at least 9lb following the withdrawal of top-weights Suny Bay and The Grey Monk, who runs at Cheltenham today and has been ruled out of the £100,000 contest. Belmont King could head the handicap on 11st 10lb, even though he is due to run in Saturday's Scottish National.