Riding stalwart Niall McCullagh preparing for Galway return after leg fracture

Evergreen jockey Niall McCullagh is aiming to be back in time for the second half of the Galway festival, with the Group 1-winning rider recovering well from a leg fracture picked up after a fall at the Curragh last month.

A fractured fibula was not enough to stop McCullagh from bagging a couple of winners last month, riding for a week with damage to his leg until tweaking the injury further on pulling up after a Tipperary sprint on June 19.

McCullagh, who turned 51 in May, suffered the setback when the John Oxx-trained Mona's Star slipped up in a Curragh maiden on June 12.

The man who partnered Royal Diamond to Irish St Leger glory in 2012 says his comeback has gone smoothly and he hopes to get the all clear to return for the latter stages of Ballybrit's seven-day extravaganza.

Niall McCullagh partnered De Mazzaro to victory at Fairyhouse last month while riding with a fractured fibiaCredit: Patrick McCann

"I'm hopeful I'll be able to get back towards the end of the festival," he said.

"Fingers crossed Paddy Kenny [surgeon] will give me the green light on the Tuesday of Galway and I can spend a couple of mornings riding out to get back into the swing of things before going racing. I'll need to make sure my leg is strong enough at first."

He added of the injury: "It's healing great. I was sore after the spill at the Curragh but was able to carry on.

"It was when I pulled up at Tipperary crossing the road that I probably opened the fracture a bit and when I got down from the horse I knew I was in a lot of discomfort.

"It turned out to be a fractured fibula, so I'm quite proud I was able to ride two winners with it – I feel a little bit like those jump jockeys!"

Melburnian: landed the Tote October Premier Handicap under Niall McCullagh during a fine season for the rider in 2019Credit: Patrick McCann

McCullagh last season enjoyed his best tally of winners since 2012, collecting €533,135 in prize-money thanks to 22 victories, eight of which came during a golden 11 days in June when he picked up a pair of premier handicaps on Irish Derby weekend at the Curragh.

His son Scott, who turned 21 earlier this month, has recently returned to ride in Ireland after partnering 19 winners in Britain last year, enjoying multiple successes for Mick Channon and Michael Madgwick.

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