Image © Healy Racing
Alice Curran may describe the horses as “just a pastime”, but the West Waterford handler is enjoying her most productive season to date, with two winners and three seconds from just seven runners this term.
With only a trio of horses in training, all owned and bred by her father Stephen, the small family operation is currently operating at a 28.6 per cent strike rate.
“Oh yeah, we’re absolutely delighted,” said Curran. “They’re kind of older horses, but there were races there for them, so it kind of suited to go point-to-pointing.”
Morning Express provided the latest success when landing the 6yo mares’ maiden at Ballygogue House, travelling smoothly before asserting decisively to score by eight lengths under Adam Feeney.
“We knew she had a good chance, going on her second-placed debut run at Turtulla.”
The eight-year-old daughter of Malinas confirmed that promise in no uncertain terms, and Curran was quick to acknowledge her rider.
“Adam Feeney gave her a mighty ride. Adam knows her anyway. He had her for a little while when she was younger doing a bit of schooling with her, so he knows her well.”
“We bred that one. Her dam is after breeding a good few winners actually.”
Morning Express is out of Witness Express, the mare at the heart of the family’s breeding operation. Her progeny include Idas Boy, a multiple winner under Rules who reached a rating of 150 and earned six-figure prize-money for Noel Meade, while Glenbeg Express is also a dual winner between the flags. A four-year-old, One To Witness, is currently in training with Gordon Elliott, and Tap Tap Shamie is set to make his Rules debut in Britain for Olly Murphy at Wincanton this week. Padraigs Boy, who finished second at Tallow earlier in February, is another from the same dam.
The daughter of Malinas is the last remaining mare from that particular family and will be retained for breeding in time.
“Oh we will definitely breed from her. She’s the only one left from that family, so she’ll be kept anyway.”
Morning Express had not made her debut until the age of seven, something Curran attributed simply to patience.
“She just needed time, that was all. There were no major problems or anything.”
The mare came out of her race in good form and is likely to target a winners’ event in the coming weeks.
Rilo Tang opened the yard’s account earlier in the season when landing a maiden at Turtulla and has since contested winners’ company.
“We ran him the other day but Adam Feeney said he hated the ground, so we’ll try and find a nicer bit of ground and run him in another winners’ race.”
Ex-track performer Padraigs Boy also advertised the strength of the family when finishing second at Tallow earlier in February.
“He ran a great race in Tallow. I think it was one of the best times of the day actually. He’ll go again soon.”
All three horses are homebred and underline the consistency of a family that has produced several winners.
“My father had the grandmother of Morning Express first. That was the first one he got into. She ran a few point-to-points and then we bred off her, and it just kind of went from there.”
The Currans are based in Two Mile Bridge, near Dungarvan, where cattle farming remains the main enterprise, while two broodmares form the foundation of their breeding operation.
“We’re farmers, we have cows, that’s what we do. The horses are just kind of a pastime.”
“We don’t have gallops or anything like that. We go to the beach at Clonea, it’s only ten minutes away, two or three times a week. We have the fields at home as well, and we go to Curraghmore and Michael Griffin’s before they run for a bit of work.”
Riding duties are shared between Curran and Siobhan Kiely, who rides out daily, with Adam Feeney called upon when required.
“It’s myself and another girl, Siobhan Kiely. She rides out here every day. Adam would just ride if we need him.”
The current season marks a quiet resurgence in the pointing sphere for Curran, who had not saddled a runner between the flags since May 2019. The family colours remained active under Rules in the interim, most notably through Jackson’s Gold, a three-time winner on the track.
“I didn’t realise it was that long since we had a point-to-point runner. We just didn’t have the horses, I suppose.”
Now, with three fit and thriving runners back between the flags, she is content to let the season unfold naturally.
“Hopefully they stay sound and healthy and it would be nice to maintain our good run.”
