Melbourne Cup week revives fond memories for Lee and Cherie Curtis and they hope to make new ones this year when Dalchini contests the Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill.
Seven years ago, Lee Curtis celebrated one of his biggest wins when Lasqueti Spirit sprang a major upset in the VRC Oaks at Flemington.
While Cherie wasn’t officially co-trainer at the time, she was a big part of the team and said every year Oaks week brought back fond recollections.
“The anniversary is actually the third of November, so all my (social media) posts and memories come flooding back on that day,” Curtis said.
“It is a very special week for us so if it’s a lucky week, that would nice.”
Team Curtis are hoping that luck strikes at their home track of Rosehill where Dalchini takes on a select field of six rivals in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m).
The mare has been racing in tremendous heart, placing behind Magic Time in The Nivison (1200m) two starts ago then warming up late when going back from a wide draw in The Invitation (1400m) won by Espiona.
She has the inside gate on Saturday and Curtis is hoping she can finally get the right conditions to land an overdue win.
“She has only won one from twenty, but out of those twenty starts, she has been in about fifteen races where the tempo has been slower than average,” Curtis said.
“She’s just had no luck whatsoever.
“Her run in The Invitation was outstanding, if she’d drawn a gate I’ve no doubt she runs fourth at least.
“Last prep she didn’t quite come up, but this prep I’ve seen a different horse.”
Jockey Jay Ford has also been an integral part of Dalchini’s journey.
Ford has partnered the five-year-old in 17 of her 20 starts and Curtis says the hoop is confident she will eventually knock off a big one.
“Jay Ford loves her,” Curtis said.
“He reckons she is a giant killer, he says, ‘don’t worry if they put you up 50-1 because if she gets conditions to suit, she can run past them. She has got the ability’.
“She is just due for a change of luck.”
The Curtis’ have a boutique operation of 18 in work and are content with that number, although there is always room for one or two more.
Despite being a small stable, they almost always have a handy horse, Dalchini being their latest.
“We do generally tend to find a nice filly here and there,” Curtis said.
“Our last one was (dual group winner) Meryl and her first foal went to the sales this year and made $1.4 million. That was a buzz when that happened, I was very proud of her.”
