Hot mare boosts value with deserved stakes success

Hurry Curry is in the twilight of her racing career and took full advantage of an opportunity at Mornington to post a well-deserved black-type victory.

Bred and part-owned by Waikato Stud, she credited resident sire Ocean Park with his 27th individual stakes winner when the five-year-old emphasised her staying prowess to claim top honours in the Listed Ansett Classic (2400m).

Farm principal Mark Chittick races Hurry Curry with good friend Craig Duncan, and she will remain with Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien for the short term.

“We’re having a dollar each way really, we’re going to try and breed from her while racing on,” he said.

“She’s been a good mare and ran a placing behind Treasurethe Moment and Powers Of Opal in the VRC Oaks (Gr.1, 2500m).”

A four-time winner from 1600 to 2400m, Hurry Curry also finished third in last season’s Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) at Morphettville.

“She’s always been there or thereabouts so to get a black-type win sealed the deal,” Chittick said.

A final decision on a stallion has yet to be made, but Swettenham Stud’s Toronado is a likely option.

Hurry Curry was originally destined to be sold, but failed to meet her A$150,000 reserve when offered at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“Nobody else liked her as much as we did and post that Craig came into the ownership,” Chittick said.

“He and I had tried to buy a couple of fillies at Karaka and were unsuccessful, so I sold him half of Hurry Curry.

“We had identified a couple of fillies that we went to $500,000 on and missed out. I’ve followed their careers and they’re probably worth about $50,000 each now. I sold half of this one for $50,000 and she’s now probably worth $500,000.”

Hurry Curry is out of the Savabeel mare Hurry, who is from a well-permed stakes family that features the ill-fated multiple Group One winner and sire Sacred Falls.

“She’s got a Super Seth yearling filly and I think we’ll keep her because we’ve since sold Hurry, we sold a package of mares to Australia and she was among them,” Chittick said.

“It really is a very good family that keeps on ticking over and we’ve got some nice young mares and fillies from it.”

Four of Hurry’s five foals to race have been successful, and includes Hurry Curry’s brother Rip Tide, a $240,000 Karaka purchase for Wexford Stables who was recently successful on debut at Taupo.