BENDIGO trainer Anne Maree Curran is intent on making the most of the opportunities that come her way in horse racing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Palace of Mirrors' win at Terang last Friday was but one illustration of that point.
The five-year-old mare only arrived at the stable Curran shares with her father Danny late last year after 13 starts for Seymour trainer David Bourne.
Her form line since has been more than solid.
After a first-up fourth at Bendigo in February, the Keffelstein-Sky Vista mare was desperately unlucky at Ararat earlier this month.
That third placing over 1300m left her trainer upbeat that a win was just around the corner.
"She got blocked for a run in the straight at Ararat, but hit the line really strongly," Curran said.
"I thought on the strength of that run, stepping up to 1400m at Terang, I was pretty confident she would win.
"As the race panned out she the front a little earlier than she probably wanted to and was a bit out of gas at the end, but she hung on.
"She was in front and pricked her years a little bit, but another horse came at her, but she pinned her ears back and tried really hard to the line."
The win was the mare's third of her career in 16 starts.
Curran admitted unlocking the horse's ability had been a little difficult early on, but was grateful for owners Elli Plant and Maggie Herbert's show of confidence in her as a trainer.
"She's had a few little quirks to work out, but once we worked those out she's been really happy in her own little world," she said.
The win was a heat of the Neville Wilson Series, qualifying Palace Of Mirrors for the final on the third day of the Warrnambool Cup day on May 5.
Curran said the mare would likely step up to 1600m at her next run at Bendigo on April 11.
"If she runs that strongly she'll possibly go down to Warrnambool, although it will depend on the weather," she said.
"If the track is too heavy, as it quite often is during the carnival she would be less likely to go."
Curran has been training for the best part of 11 years, but until recently has only ever had a few horses in work.
"It's only been in the last six months I have expanded into training for other people and having more horses in work," she said.
"So from 10 years of having only one or two horses in work, I now have five and a couple of nicer quality of horses.
"It was great to get a win nice and quickly with Palace Of Mirrors and show that when I have the right horses in my care I can get something out of them."
Curran will be without a runner at this Saturday's Golden Mile Race Day at the Bendigo Jockey Club, despite giving some earlier thought to entering Palace Of Mirrors.
It's a race day that holds a special place in the hearts of the Curran family after their bargain-buy The Big Dance won the two-year-old OBIS Gold Rush at Bendigo on debut in 2015.
The win netted her connection, including trainer Danny, $172,000 in prizemoney after they purchased the horse for only $750.
"It was a fantastic day two years ago," Anne Maree Curran said.
"That was magnificent, but unfortunately we don't have any runners this year.
"We are just going to have to go along and support whoever else in Bendigo has a runner on the day."