BBC SPORT | Other Sports | Horse Racing | Grand National 2002

Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey Jim Culloty talks to BBC Sport Online's Frank Keogh about his preparation for the Martell Grand National.

Top jockey Jim Culloty is relishing the prospect of riding in the world's greatest steeplechase.

The 28-year-old Irishman will be looking to complete the Grand National for the first time when he rides Bindaree in Saturday's big race at Aintree.

Culloty picked up the ride on Bindaree after Jamie Goldstein was injured during the week.

And just weeks after winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Best Mate, he was in relaxed mood as he talked BBC Sport Online through his build-up.

Culloty's Grand National schedule

0900 Light breakfast

1000 Five-mile drive from Liverpool city centre to Aintree.

1100 Walk the course to test how the ground is riding

1200 onwards Relax and possibly watch the opening three races, if not booked for a ride

1500 Final preparations in the weighing room

1520 Leave the weighing room, meet connections, and saddle up ready for the parade of runners

1545 Set off on Bindaree in the Grand National

"A gang of us will go out together for something to eat on the Friday night," said Killarney-born Culloty.

An early start will see him take in a light breakfast - a boiled egg or scrambled egg - before heading for the track.

Culloty is lucky as he will have little difficulty making his allotted weight of 10st 4lbs, but not everyone will be so fortunate.

"My weight won't be a problem, so I'll be chilling out," said Culloty, who is likely to have just the one ride on Grand National day.

"A lot of lads will be sweating. Most of them will be in the sauna, which is always full on the morning of the National."

He will go easy on food for the rest of the day, in case the worst happens and he suffers a nasty fall.

"It's always at the back of your mind to have an empty stomach in case you need to go to hospital for an anaesthetic or they need to do something to you," he said.

Other jockeys will have ridden in one or more of the opening three races, but Culloty will have time to chat with relatives and friends, including girlfriend Susie, before getting prepared for the main event.

Culloty's National record

1997 Full of Oats, Fell at the first

2000 Village King, Fell at the 20th

2001 Village King, Fell at the 8th

2002 Rides Bindaree

"It's always great in the weighing room on Grand National day," said Culloty, who is the son of an accountant.

"You have to forget about the danger side of it and get on with the job.

"There's no point in worrying about it. What's going to happen is going to happen - that's more or less everybody's approach.

"It's totally different from the Cheltenham Festival, which is very serious and business-like."

The jockey describes his disappointing National record as "brutal" - he fell at the first on his debut in 1997.

But he is hopeful of a bold showing from the eight-year-old gelding Bindaree, who is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies.

"I'm really looking forward to it - I can't wait," he said.

"My horse definitely has a great chance of being in the first four."