Colonel Arthur Bake became one of the most powerful of Irish trainers during the era 1920-1940. Arthur Blake (1884-1974) was the leading Irish trainer in 1929, 1930, and 1938 and presided over some seventeen Irish classic winners from his Heath House stables at Maryborough, Portlaoise. He trained six 1,000 Guineas winners, five 2,000 Guineas winners, two Derby winners, two Oaks winners and two St Leger winners. The horse that set him on the road to such an impressive haul of Irish classic winners was the 3 year old filly Flying Dinah, who won the Irish One Thousand Guineas in 1925 which is a good point to pick up on the story of the Cullen family because Blake’s first classic winner although very much an unconsidered long-shot was ridden by the 18 year old apprentice jockey Richard Cullen.
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| Flying Dinah leaves the paddock |
Cullen had ridden Flying Dinah in a handful of races as a two year old and on her seasonal bow as a three year old. Given the fact that some fully fledged jockeys often never get to ride a horse good enough to contest a classic race it’s quite astonishing that an 18 year old little known apprentice jockey was entrusted to take the mount in such a race.
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| Cullen wins the Guineas |
The confidence that Arthur Blake showed in him by engaging him for the mount was rewarded as Cullen endorsed that confidence by successfully riding Flying Dinah through the testing conditions and securing an all important first classic win for Colonel Blake. The filly failed to win again in 1925, However she did finish third to Spelthorne in the Irish St. Leger that year.
Blake remained at Heath House until the 1960’s but for Richard Cullen his relationship with Heath House wasn’t quite so enduring. He did register
seven more winners in the 1925 season but as often happens with young apprentices trying to establish themselves things became more difficult for him when he was no longer entitled to claim the apprentices allowance, a common fate to befall many good young jockeys and no more classically illustrated than by a look at the list of champion apprentices here in England so many of which really struggled after losing the right to claim an allowance. As things were not to be for Richard Cullen in Ireland he relocated and successfully pursued a riding career in India from the early 1930’s.
A silent clip from the 1925 race
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| Richard in India |
However, following a serious fall at Lucknow racecourse in 1937 tragedy struck and he sadly died from his injuries. Richard was not alone in securing big race success in Ireland during this period as his brother Tommy Cullen was also a successful Jockey in National Hunt racing. The Cullen brothers seem to have had a winning formula for teaming up with some of the most successful trainers in the history of Irish racing, Tommy spent some of his career riding for Bob Fetherstonhaugh who won many important races during his training career. Fetherstonhaugh had initially learned his trade as a trainer by becoming assistant trainer to none other than the same Colonel Arthur Blake at Heath House that Richard had been indentured to. Following his stint with Blake, Fetherstonhaugh learned more tricks of the trade from the great Atty Perrse before setting up as a trainer on his own account near Mullingar. His notable successes as a trainer included training nine Irish classic winners consisting of… two 1,000 Guineas winners, one 2,000 Guineas winners, two Derby winners, two Oaks winners, and two St Leger winners. Interestingly he also trained three Irish Grand National winners one of which was ridden by Richard’s brother Tommy who won on Copper Court in the 1932 National.
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| Apprentice J. R. Cullen |
Richards son “John Richard Cullen” followed in his fathers foosteps and also entered into racing here in England where he was more commonly known as Dick Cullen. The only information available about Dick Cullen at the moment is that he was indentured to Captain C. F. Elsey as a flat racing apprentice at Malton in Yorkshire in 1947 and it's also known that he held a jockeys licence in 1955 when it's believed he was based in Wantage and associated with Captain W. K. McMullen who trained National Hunt horses. The family would be much indebted to anyone who could provide any further details about Dick Cullens career in racing either from personal knowledge or old racing books… and for that matter any additional information however small related to Richard or Tom Cullen too... so please do post a comment giving some details here if you know anything at all as it would be very much appreciated.
Just a little addition which I came across today... a newspaper cutting of the days racing at Wincanton on the 17th of November 1955 in which T. Cullen rode the winner of the 3.00 Larkspur hurdle on Ice Trick so I've posted it here as I'm sure the family would like to see it -
Wincanton Nov 17th 1955 - T Cullen Larkspur Hurdle
Wincanton Nov 17th 1955 - T Cullen Larkspur Hurdle Result
Dec 30th 1955 Newbury Card - Pactol with J. Cullen booked to ride in the 3.00pm race the Wroughton H'cap Chase
Dec 30th 1955 Newbury - Pactol (J. Cullen) finishes 2nd
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