John Cullen..

John Cullen

Article by Alan Trout

National Hunt jockey John Richard Cullen – not to be confused with Irish-based jump jockey John (Jackie) Cullen – rode five winners in the mid-1950s. 

Like his brother Tommy Cullen, John was based with Captain Bill McMullen, who trained at Childrey, in Berkshire. He rode his first winner on the final day of the 1953/54 season when partnering Desire to land the Alconbury Selling Handicap Chase at Huntingdon on Whit Monday, June 7, 1954. It was Desire’s 19th run of the season and his third victory, Elfyn Parry having ridden him in both his other wins.

John had taken over from Parry as Desire’s regular jockey a few weeks earlier and the gelding proved to be an asset, albeit not quite so busy (he only ran 17 times!), in the following season. There was first a victory by 20 lengths in the Mordiford Handicap Chase at Hereford on September 25, and then another by five lengths in the Raglan Handicap Chase at Chepstow on October 23. The latter success completed a double for John, having won the Ross Handicap Chase on another of Captain McMullen’s horses, Pactol, earlier in the afternoon. 

Despite that promising start to the 1954/55 campaign, it was to be 18 months before John next visited the winner’s enclosure. It finally came at Chepstow on Easter Monday, April 2, 1956, when Hyde Park won the Ralph Morel Challenge Cup Handicap Chase by four lengths. The winner, as with John’s other victories, was trained by Captain McMullen and, like most of his string, was kept busy, running 18 times that season. 

John did not renew his licence the following season. He did make a brief comeback in the 1958/59 campaign but rode no more winners.

John Cullen’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Desire, Huntingdon, June 7, 1954

2. Desire, Hereford, September 25, 1954

3. Pactol, Chepstow, October 23, 1954

4. Desire, Chepstow, October 23, 1954

5. Hyde Park, Chepstow, April 2, 1956