Lyn Tolson and daughter Leonie Proctor were left scratching their heads after the last start performance of Curran and are unsure what they will see on Boxing Day.

The $600 purchase that has won almost $370,000 in prize money for the mother-and-daughter training partners, lines up in the Listed Christmas Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Sunday.

Victory will earn Curran a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield in February, while defeat could see the gelding off to the spelling paddock.

The pair were perplexed by Curran’s sixth in the Doveton Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on November 27.

They expected Curran to race in a midfield position, instead he was out the back, unable to keep up.

“He jumped and didn’t want to get going and didn’t get into the race, but his last sectionals were really good,” Tolson said.

“But you can’t do that in big races.”

Tolson said Curran was suffering niggling problems in his back and deep in his hamstrings.

A visit to the chiropractor seems to have worked, but Tolson said they would not be sure until he races.

“His work has been nice, but it will be the beginning of the race when he’s got to jump out of the gates, so we won’t really know until race day,” Tolson said.

“If he doesn’t show that he’s over it, we can pop him out. It doesn’t worry us.

“We were hoping to get him up over a bit more ground this time in, but with these niggling things, we are taking a step back all the time.”

Tolson said if Curran did require a break, they might look to have him back towards the end of autumn.

“We haven’t looked that far ahead, but so many people have mentioned The Goodwood in Adelaide might be suitable for us,” Tolson said.

“We’ll take one step at a time. We want to get Sunday out of the way first.”