By Ray Hickson
Trainer Paul Murray has set the bar high for promising mare Harry’s Bar this spring so he’d like to see her take a step up when she returns to the Kensington track on Wednesday.
The four-year-old hasn’t raced for two months since she broke through for her first win at Canterbury in August as Murray set her aside for an ambitious spring and summer campaign.
Randwick’s Kensington track will host a seven-race meeting on Wednesday.Credit: Getty
So there’s a level of expectation when she tackles the Bivouac @ Darley Handicap (1150m).
“We gave her a little freshen up because we’re hoping she can go through to the Magic Millions,” Murray said.
“She had two weeks in the paddock, we saw this race as a lead up to the Gong Day where there’s a fillies and mares race for her. If she can measure up to that one, we’ll try to get her into the Millions.
“She has come on, I’m really impressed with the way she’s going. She keeps taking the next step as we ask her in track work so we thought we’d go back and have another crack at a city race.”
Harry’s Bar hasn’t trialled publicly since her maiden win, but Murray said she pleased him in a jump out at Kembla Grange a couple of weeks ago and in her subsequent work.
He concedes she’s still on a learning curve given her inexperience but has no doubt she can make the transition from maiden company.
“She’s showing us that she’s up to the city class,″ he said.
“Since she had her first run she’s improved each time. When she ran second at Canterbury you can see the big difference to the next race that she won.
“She didn’t know how to let down at her second start but when she won she really let down.”
Murray said he’d expect Harry’s Bar to be on the speed somewhere at Kensington and while she led all the way to her first win she doesn’t need to lead.
“She’ll be in the first three I reckon but Reece (Jones) knows her,” he said.
“She’s got the speed if we have to use it and she’s pretty versatile, she’ll come back to you.”
