BALLYCASSIDY will bypass the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday week in preference to an assignment at Aintree a day earlier.

CONSIDERING it was only his fourth race over fences, Philip Rothwell's 25-1 shot, Black Apalachi, produced a tremendous performance to beat 20-1 chance Camden Tanner in the valuable Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

BIG-RACE jockey Jim Culloty, having his first ever ride in the contest, grabbed yesterday’s Powers’ Gold Label Irish Grand National in the dying strides aboard Dessie Hughes’ Timbera and thinks the horse could be an Aintree Grand National contender next year.