Double-jobber Cullen has first Irish winner

John Cullen completed a satisfying day's work at Fairyhouse today when registering his first Irish winner as a trainer and also recording a double on the day as a jockey, with 33/1 shot Misty Lady in the Follow Fairyhouse On Twitter Handicap Hurdle.

Cullen,who won the opener on board Tudor Fashion raced Misty Lady prominently throughout and in the end the pair stayed on well for a two and a quarter lengths win over Caitlin Brook

Cullen, a six-time Grade 1 winning jockey whose biggest wins in the saddle came in two renewals of the Galway Hurdle, is in his third season as a trainer and steered Gray Hession to his initial training success, at Cartmel in June 2012.

Following today's win Cullen, who trains at Thurles racecourse and was narrowly denied a first Irish winner when his Katnap finished a close second on 'home ground' last Thursday, quipped “that's my first Irish winner and it's been a slow old process!”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson