Former Olympic eventer Commandant Geoff Curran started his 2024 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in fine style with a speed win – as he eyes up completing a HOYS puissance hat-trick tomorrow.
The Irish rider and DHF Alliance, leased by the Irish defence minister from the Stallard family, finished nearly three seconds ahead of Paul Barker and Strides Maureen in the Dick Turpin speed stakes.
And Geoff, who was on the Irish eventing team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said fast is exactly how the nine-year-old Douglas mare likes to go.
“She won it very well,” he said. “She’s fast naturally and if I do my job correctly and keep it smooth, she’s faster than most. I’ve got so much confidence in her; I don’t need to put leg on as that’s the way she likes to go and if I interfere, she doesn’t like it. So I just let her go her own way and she’s very comfortable.”
Geoff was also delighted with the way the Irish-bred mare, who is relatively inexperienced indoors, was unfazed by the atmosphere, and he said the win was a “nice wedding present” for Jess Stallard, who married last week.
“The mare will jump tomorrow; that took nothing out of her,” he said. “She’s an engine, and a real mare; when she’s on side she gives you everything.”
This is a first HOYS win for Geoff, apart from the puissance here, which he has won for the last two years with Bishop’s Quarter – and he is “looking for the hat-trick”.
“Put your money down!” he said. “He’s feeling good.”
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