Highworth handler Sean Curran has been sparing in his Jumps runners in the past 18 months or so as his focus has largely been around the Flat. However, yesterday was a rare exception as juvenile Mutara won an uncompetitive maiden hurdle at Stratford, notching up the stable's first victory this term from just 5 runners to date.
Curran has been training since 2006, and includes Swindon Town director Lee Power among his owners. As will be all too familiar to many trainers with small strings, the precarious nature of the profession got to him, and he tried other employment from 2011-18, but the racing bug is as difficult as Covid to drop. Since his return to the ranks of licensed professionals, he has accumulated nearly 50 winners under both codes from around 350 runners.
This then is the bread and butter of mainstream racing in the UK. And whilst measures to halt the drain of top flight bloodstock abroad, recently highlighted by Peter Savill's paper to the BHA, most racing professionals would prefer to see the middle and bottom tiers of the sport flourish with a more sustainable business model. In the international racing market, top flight horses can campaign in the Middle East in the Spring, Britain and France in mid-summer and Melbourne in autumn. This is not the case for Jumps runners, far more limited in their scope.
That said, it's remarkable that more British runners aren't found at the valuable Galway meeting this week. It's a7 day bonanza that is virtually ignored by British owners and trainers, for no apparent good reason.
Answers on a postcard please.
Highworth handler Sean Curran has been sparing in his Jumps runners in the past 18 months or so as his focus has largely been around the Flat. However, yesterday was a rare exception as juvenile Mutara won an uncompetitive maiden hurdle at Stratford, notching up the stable's first victory this term from just 5 runners to date.
Curran has been training since 2006, and includes Swindon Town director Lee Power among his owners. As will be all too familiar to many trainers with small strings, the precarious nature of the profession got to him, and he tried other employment from 2011-18, but the racing bug is as difficult as Covid to drop. Since his return to the ranks of licensed professionals, he has accumulated nearly 50 winners under both codes from around 350 runners.
This then is the bread and butter of mainstream racing in the UK. And whilst measures to halt the drain of top flight bloodstock abroad, recently highlighted by Peter Savill's paper to the BHA, most racing professionals would prefer to see the middle and bottom tiers of the sport flourish with a more sustainable business model. In the international racing market, top flight horses can campaign in the Middle East in the Spring, Britain and France in mid-summer and Melbourne in autumn. This is not the case for Jumps runners, far more limited in their scope.
That said, it's remarkable that more British runners aren't found at the valuable Galway meeting this week. It's a7 day bonanza that is virtually ignored by British owners and trainers, for no apparent good reason.
Answers on a postcard please.
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