Cullen '50-50' for festival return

Paul Nolan admits jockey John Cullen faces a “race against time” to be fit to ride Accordion Etoile at the Cheltenham Festival.

Cullen is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder he sustained aboard Castle Kevin in the Clonoulty Handicap Chase at Thurles on February 23.

He has ridden Accordion Etoile in all of his seven wins over hurdles and fences, including the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle in 2004 and the Independent Newspapers November Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham this season.

While Cullen is making good progress in his rehabilitation, Nolan revealed the jockey may not prove his fitness in time to partner the seven-year-old in the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Chase, for which he is a 5-1 chance with Ladbrokes.

“We are hoping he’ll be okay but he’s no better than 50-50,” said the Co Wexford handler. “He’s got a dislocated shoulder but he’s working very hard on it.

“There’s no-one better than John, and if anyone who can make a quick recovery it would be him.

“He’s doing his best, we’d hope he’d be okay, but he’s in a race against time.”

If Cullen is unavailable, Barry Geraghty is on stand-by as a possible replacement to ride Accordion Etoile, who is reportedly in rude health ahead of his Festival assignment.

“He seems in great shape and hopefully the ground will stay as good as it is - I’ve never been happier with the horse,” Nolan told At The Races.