Christian Cullen

Christian Cullen (foaled 6 November 1994) is a Standardbred stallion and was one of New Zealand's best pacers. Named after the New Zealand international rugby union player, Christian Cullen, he won 22 of his 31 starts, and $NZ1,249,150 in prize money. He is notable in that he won both the Auckland Pacing Cup and New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness races in New Zealand. A powerful and impressive stallion, he has been particularly successful at stud. He is best known for his season as a four-year-old in 1998–99, when he won all of his 12 starts, including the New Zealand Trotting Cup, Auckland Cup and the Miracle Mile Pace. This led to him being crowned Horse of the Year in New Zealand. He was retired from racing in February 2000, and has become the leading pacing sire in Australasia, siring the New Zealand Cup winner Mainland Banner among others. Early racing career As a two-year-old Christian Cullen won all of his five starts and $152,465. He won the Welcome Stakes and Sales Series Pace but his season was shortened by injury. In the 1997–98 season Christian Cullen won 5 of 10 starts with 2 seconds and 1 third, and he earned $302,460. In November he won the New Zealand Sires Stakes 3yo Final and then beat older pacers in the $100,000 Round Up 1950 in a 1.58.1 mile rate over 1950 metres with a final 800 metres in 55.9 seconds. Christian Cullen then received an invitation to the Miracle Mile Pace in Sydney but was a late scratching due to a pre-race testing irregularity, however the control fluid was later found to be contaminated. Back in New Zealand he was an unlucky third to Holmes D G in the Great Northern Derby and won the Sales Series Pace but suffered an injury before the New Zealand Derby.