Cullen up for the challenge with his new venture

Hayden Cullen insists he is right up for the challenge of his latest harness racing venture.

Just last weekend, Cullen and wife Amanda officially announced the start of their new training enterprise at West Melton.

The Group 1 winning horseman recently left his position as a co-trainer at Stonewall Stud not knowing exactly where his career was heading.

But Cullen has moved at lightning speed to set up his own operation, training and pre-training racehorses, as well as educating young stock.

Starting a new chapter from the ground up is a step that is a little daunting but one the trainer is ready to tackle head on.

“I am definitely up for the challenge,” Cullen said.

“I always think you give everything your best, you stand by your words and your actions and you work hard and that is what we will be doing.”

“We are really looking forward to it.”

To say he was starting from scratch when Cullen made the move to train a new team of his own account is quite literally true.

“It has been a bit of a scramble to get things like carts organised but it is all coming together really well.”

“I have been quite lucky with the support I have had so far and we have a team of nine horses at the moment.”

Cullen will be training at a property adjacent to Ken Barron’s Toliman Lodge, working on the Toliman Lodge track.

With space for more, the trainer is looking forward to filling up his barn.

Most potential owners will be well aware of Cullen’s skill as a trainer.

The Northern-born horseman trained 62 winners in partnership with Brent Mangos in the early stages of his training career.

He then produced 55 winners, including 10 at Group One level, when heading the All Stars stable during Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen’s sabbatical.

Cullen then trained another 129 winners in partnership with Purdon before ending his highly successful tenure at the All Stars barn.

The trainer will now be attempting to apply all of the skill he has developed during the past twelve years to his brand new team.

“Obviously I have worked in quite a few stables, I learnt a lot working for Mark and Nat.”

Cullen is welcoming all new owners as he takes Cullen Racing in a new direction.

And all are welcome to join the ride.

“We are happy to take on any horses, obviously we would prefer if they were racehorses that were going to stay in the stable.”

“But we are more than happy to be doing pre-trainers and breaking in, too.”

Any owners looking to join the Cullen Racing clientele should feel free to contact Hayden Cullen.

The stable also has ownership options available in horses already part of the Cullen team.

by Jonny Turner, for Harness Racing New Zealand