The most consistent partnership in his book is with trainer Charles Weld, though it has not yet sparked into life the way either side will be hoping for. One win from 21 rides together — winning 1 in every 21 — tells you this is a relationship built on trust and patience rather than fireworks. Weld is one of the more respected yards to be associated with, so the opportunity is there even if the results have not yet reflected it.
Where McCullagh does show a clear strength is on wet or muddy ground. With 2 wins from 21 races in those conditions, he wins 1 in every 10 times the ground is soft — a win rate more than double his overall average. That is a meaningful edge. Some jockeys find a rhythm when the ground gets testing, adjusting their timing and how they ask a horse to travel through the mud. If McCullagh can identify that as a genuine skill and lean into it, it gives him a real angle — particularly in the Irish autumn and winter months when soft ground is the norm rather than the exception.
At 4% overall, the numbers are modest, but context matters. Many jockeys spend years grinding out single-figure win rates before a breakthrough season changes everything. The volume of rides — 127 in a single season — shows that trainers are using him regularly, and that is the foundation everything else is built on. The next step is turning those opportunities into winners at a more consistent rate.
| Course | Races | Wins | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Curragh | 30 | 1 | 3.3% |
| Dundalk | 22 | 1 | 4.5% |
| Leopardstown | 16 | 0 | 0% |
| Gowran Park | 11 | 1 | 9.1% |
| Cork | 9 | 1 | 11.1% |
| Naas | 8 | 1 | 12.5% |
| Fairyhouse | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Navan | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Roscommon | 6 | 0 | 0% |
| Limerick | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Galway | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Bellewstown | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Punchestown | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Down Royal | 1 | 0 | 0% |