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Born in Killarney on December 18, 1973, James Hugh Culloty is best-known for his association with triple Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate and for winning the Grand National on Bindaree.
Photo, left: Jim Culloty returns after winning the 2000 Sun Alliance Chase on Lord Noelie.
He began his career in the saddle by riding point-to-pointers for David Bloomfield in Cornwall after leaving school. He was champion novice point-to-point rider in his first season. Afterwards he worked for Jackie Retter, who trained at Whitstone, near Exeter, and rode his first winner under National Hunt rules for her on Karicleigh Boy in an Exeter bumper on January 3, 1994.
He then moved to Henrietta Knight’s where he became champion amateur, riding 44 winners in his first season there. This success led him to turning professional and becoming stable jockey to Knight for ten years. He registered his first major victory on Knight’s Lord Noelie in the 2000 Sun Alliance (now RSA) Chase at Cheltenham.
Much bigger prizes awaited. He won three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cups (2002, 2003, 2004) on Best Mate and in 2002 won the Grand National on the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Bindaree.
He had another unforgettable year in 2003. In addition to winning a second Gold Cup on Best Mate, he won that year’s Irish Grand National on the Dessie Hughes-trained Timbera, the King George VI Chase on Edredon Bleu and Leopardstown’s Lexus Chase on Best Mate.
In 2004 Killarney Racecourse honoured Jim by naming its new bar after him. It was at Killarney, riding I Shall Seek, that Jim had had his first ride in public prior to crossing the Irish Sea to England.
Jim enjoyed a fine professional career that lasted almost a decade during which he rode a total of 394 winners up until his retirement. He finished second on his final ride over fences, on Impek in the Summer Plate at Market Rasen on July 16, 2005. (He subsequently rode in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Lester Legends race for retired jockeys at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting.)
He began training in 2006, having built an impressive training facility at Mount Corbitt House in Churchtown, Co Cork. His first winner was Braun Star, ridden by Adrian Lane, at Thurles on, November 30, 2006.
The best horse he trained was undoubtedly Lord Windermere, whom he saddled to win the 2013 RSA Chase and the following year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup in the hands of Davy Russell. By so doing, Jim became only the fourth person ever to ride and train a Gold Cup winner.
Despite proving his ability to train horses at the highest level, Jim found winners hard to come by, though he did have regular success on the point-to-point circuit.
He never had more than eight winners in an Irish jumps season. His final winner was Crown Of Gold, ridden by Andrew Lynch, at Limerick on, October 8, 2017. He relinquished his licence in mid-2018.
Biggest wins:
2000: Royal & Sun Alliance - Lord Noelie
2002: Grand National - Bindaree
2002: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Best Mate
2003: Irish Grand National - Timbera
2004: Topham Trophy - Cassia Heights
2003: King George Vl Chase - Edredon Blue
2003: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Best Mate
2004: Cheltenham Gold Cup - Best Mate
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