Tony Curran

Tony Curran

Article by Alan Trout

Having ridden 11 winners on the Flat in the early 1970s, Anthony Peter Curran returned a few years later to add another three over jumps. 

He was apprenticed to Staff Ingham, one of the most successful post-war Epsom trainers. He gained his first success at Windsor on May 15, 1972, when Green Chartreuse made nearly all the running and held the late challenge of Jock Wilson’s mount Prince Gourmet to land the Blue Charm Maiden Plate by a head. 

Tony had two more victories that year, both on the four-year-old Maryland Star, trained by fellow Epsom trainer Arthur Pitt. He did even better in 1973 with six wins. Among the highlights were a double at Brighton and a success at Epsom in the race after the Coronation Cup when Cuteness got the better of a battle with Winning Hand, the mount of Tony Kimberley, to land the Chipstead Stakes by a short head. 

He rode just two winners in 1974, the first being when Night Sky beat eight rivals to land the Manton Stakes at Newbury on May 18, finishing strongly to catch Singing Time, the mount of Greville Starkey, near the line and win by a neck. The second – his last on the Flat – was at Goodwood on September 13, when Red Power beat two rivals to land the Seven Points Stakes for yet another Epsom trainer, John Sutcliffe. 

He rode for the first time over jumps at Plumpton on October 14, 1980, when Treacle Top was beaten a long way in a Haig Whisky Novices’ Hurdle qualifier. His first success in that sphere came just over a year later at Folkestone when Captain Fantastic, owned and trained by Charles Cyzer at Horsham, led approaching the last flight and held off the challenge of Mark Floyd on Merchandiser to land the Burwash Novices’ Hurdle, for three-year-olds, by two lengths.

Returning to Folkestone on January 21, 1982, Tony bookended the card by winning both divisions of the Northiam Novices’ Hurdle on horses owned and trained by Charles Cyzer. The double was initiated when Suppers Ready scored by five lengths in the opener and completed by Captain Fantastic narrowly getting the better or a battle with Clive Candy’s mount Veleso to win by a short head. 

Tony rode Suppers Ready in that year’s Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham but they were not in the first nine of the 29-runner field. 

Despite that double and also competing on the biggest stage, Tony’s career was over just a few days later, his last ride coming at Newbury on March 27, 1982, when Sigir was unplaced in the Greenham Group Handicap Hurdle, having been prominent to three out. 

Tony Curran’s wins were, in chronological order:

1. Green Chartreuse, Windsor, May 15, 1973

2. Maryland Star, Warwick, September 4, 1972

3. Maryland Star, Nottingham, October 24, 1972

4. Queen Of Medina, Kempton Park, June 1, 1973

5. Cuteness, Epsom, June 7, 1973

6. Step-Child, Kempton Park, July 6, 1973

7. War Miss, Kempton Park, July 10, 1973

8. Longshot Riley, Brighton, August 7, 1973

9. Hush Money, Brighton, August 7, 1973

10. Night Sky, Newbury, May 18, 1974

11. Red Power, Goodwood, September 13, 1974

12. Captain Fantastic, Folkestone, November 16, 1981

13. Suppers Ready, Folkestone, January 21, 1982

14. Captain Fantastic, Folkestone, January 21, 1982