Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray has extended his family’s strong connection to the Wagga Cup carnival by taking out the $200,000 Town Plate aboard Harry’s Bar.
Murray’s deceased father, renowned South Coast conditioner Bede, began sending horses to the prominent country event during the 1970s, and seldom did a year pass without him securing a victory, among them a Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) courtesy of Vanquished and a Town Plate (1200m) via Scorpio.
Paul Murray boosted the family tally on Thursday as Harry’s Bar ($9) ran down frontrunner Love Shuck ($61) to prevail by three-quarters of a length, with Bandi’s Boy ($11) closing strongly late for third spot, a further two lengths back.
The Kembla Grange-based handler manages a modest team, and Thursday’s result marked his second feature win over the last six months following Where’s The Circus’s capture of the Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick back in December.
That said, considering the Murray clan’s storied involvement with the two-day Wagga carnival, Harry’s Bar’s achievement carried additional weight.
“It’s unbelievable. I was only a boy when we used to come down with Dad,” Murray told Sky Racing.
“We had a runner after (Scorpio), Sure And Fast, and I think he ran second or third in it, but this is my first runner.”
Harry’s Bar’s triumph represented her third success from 16 outings, a fitting payoff for her reliability after placing second in the Gosford qualifier for the Provincial-Midway Country Championships and a gallant fifth behind Lord Of Biscay in the decider.
“She is just a very good mare,” Murray said.
“She gives you two hundred per cent. Every time you go to the races you know you’re going to get a run for your money.
She loves a fight, and I’ve never seen a mare as tough as her.”
Paul Murray remains uncertain about Harry’s Bar’s immediate future but indicated the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone in a fortnight could be on the agenda.
Regular jockey Jean Van Overmeire guided Harry’s Bar to victory, completing a double on the card after earlier success on the Luke Pepper-prepared Brutal Belle.
The carnival proceeds on Friday featuring the Wagga Gold Cup, where Chris Waller-trained Travolta holds favouritism at $3.20. Check the racing betting markets for the Wagga Gold Cup.