Tommy Curran

Tommy Curran

Belfast-born National Hunt jockey Thomas Patrick (Tommy) Curran rode four winners during the 1952/53 season when based with Major Bay Powell, who trained at Aldbourne, near Marlborough. 

Tommy rode his first winner on Deux Temps, owned by Major Geoffrey Harbord, in the Chudleigh Novices’ Hurdle at Devon & Exeter on August 21, 1952. The five-year-old was usually ridden by Major Powell’s stable jockey John Foster, who was in the saddle for his other three wins that season. However, John opted to ride Deux Temps’ better-fancied stablemate Paris New York, who finished third. 

At Chepstow on October 11, Tommy doubled his score when Paris New York took the Forest Handicap Hurdle. Again, John Foster was the five-year-old’s regular partner, but this race was confined to novice riders, so he was ineligible to take part. 

In what was fast becoming a habit, Tommy again replaced John Foster on Roydon to win the Walsall Handicap Hurdle at Wolverhampton on December 27, while John rode the more fancied Lower Park, who could only finish seventh. At least on this occasion, Tommy kept the ride for the six-year-old’s next race at Sandown Park, which was again for novice riders, before John took over again and won twice on him. 

Tommy made a good start to 1953, winning the opening race on New Year’s Day, when Pince Sans Rire won the Childrey Selling Chase, another race for novice jockeys, by three lengths. But that was as good as it got, for Tommy rode no more winners and only held a licence for one more season. 

When Major Powell had his trainer’s licence withdrawn, John Foster moved to ride for Gerald Balding at Weyhill, whereas Tommy dropped out of racing. He married a lady named Marion Wild, who delivered bread for the local baker.

Tommy Curran’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Deux Temps, Devon & Exeter, August 21, 1952

2. Paris New York, Chepstow, October 11, 1952

3. Roydon, Wolverhampton, December 27, 1952

4. Pince Sans Rire, Newbury, January 1, 1953