Cornelius Curtin

Cornelius Curtin

Article by Alan Trout

Cornelius Curtin rode three winners over jumps in the late 1950s.

His first victory came at Plumpton on Easter Monday, April 7, 1958 when he steered Galleano, trained by Chris Nesfield, to win the Hastings Selling Handicap Chase by four lengths. It was only the second time Cornelius had ridden the nine-year-old gelding, who was scoring for the first time under National Hunt rules but would go on to win several more and still be going strong at the age of fifteen. Galleano was usually partnered by Clive Chapman. However, on this occasion Chapman opted to ride Nesfield’s other runner, the favourite Great Ceasar, who finished second, beaten four lengths.

Before the end of the season, Cornelius had the chance to take part in one of the season’s major races, when riding 50-1 outsider The Gnat in the second running of the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown Park. Alas, there was no fairytale result; The Gnat was pulled up when well in arrears.

Following a gap of 18 months, Cornelius rode his second winner when Rappel II took the Juvenile Hurdle at Nottingham by two lengths on October 26, 1959. The three-year-old was making his debit under National Hunt rules. He finished second, with Cornelius up, next time out at Birmingham before winning at Fontwell Park, ridden this time by hurdle race specialist Johnnie Gilbert.

Cornelius had his final success at Hurst Park on December 19, 1959, when Cottage Sleigh, trained at Epsom by Sam Hanley, beat 28 others to win the Maze Novices’ Hurdle (Division 1) by a length. It was the six-year-old’s second run of the season and he only managed one third place in two subsequent outings, with Cornelius on board both times.

Cornelius Curtin did not renew his licence for the 1962/63 season.