CANBERRA TRIAL MURRAY’S PLAN B FOR PMC FINALIST

IT will be like a raceday!

That was trainer Paul Murray’s reaction this morning to having to switch to Plan B for his Provincial-Midway Championships Finalist Welcometobarbados.

Kembla Grange-based Murray had been intending to trial the talented mare after the last at Nowra today, but heavy weekend rain forced the meeting to be called off yesterday.

“We’re taking Welcometobarbados to Canberra on Wednesday for a 900m Open trial,” he said.

“It’s a six-hour round trip, so it will be like a raceday.”

Jockey Jean Van Overmeire rode Welcometobarbados when she defeated Lord Of Biscay and Matcha Latte in a Newcastle Qualifier (1400m) on March 1, and is booked for the $1m PMC Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday week.

“Even though Jean is currently suspended, he was prepared to go to Nowra to ride her in the trial,” Murray said.

“Hopefully, he will still go to Canberra for Wednesday’s trial.”

Murray is happy with Welcometobarbados, who hasn’t raced since the Newcastle victory, and says he has done a fair bit of work with her on the course proper at home.

“She is in great order, but the trial will top her off nicely for Saturday week,” he said.

Murray was both surprised and disappointed when the RacingNSW handicapping panel gave his mare a 13-point “penalty” for her Newcastle Qualifier performance.

“She went from 70 to 83, yet Matcha Latte, who came out and won the next Newcastle Qualifier (on March 20), didn’t go up at all (from 95).,” Murray said.

Welcometobarbados, who is seeking her fourth win on end in Saturday week’s Final, has won five of her nine starts.

She has been one of racing’s great bargains, having cost only $700 as a weanling online through bloodstockauction.com, after which owner John Lundy syndicated her amongst friends ($35 for five per cent).

Welcometobarbados has so far collected just over $155,000 – and that will swell another $540,000 if she wins the Final.

Murray is hoping to emulate his late father Bede, who won the inaugural Provincial Championships Final with Sure And Fast in 2015.

He fetched $60,000 as a 2013 Inglis Classic yearling product, and retired in 2019 with earnings of just over $530,000.

Coincidentally, both Sure And Fast and Welcometobarbados’ first two wins were at Wagga and Goulburn.

Welcometobarbados is currently on the third line of PMC Final betting at $8, and is one of five mares amongst the 12 already qualified – and four have been Qualifier winners.

Those winners were Rapt and Mahogany Girl (both at Hawkesbury) and Imposant (Kembla Grange), and Art Volant ran second to Matcha Latte in the March 20 Newcastle heat.

Pending Thursday’s rescheduled Wild Card (1350m) at Wyong, where the three placegetters will be the last horses into the 15-horse Final, the latest TAB.com.au market is:

$4.50 Matcha Latte

6 Lord Of Biscay, Well Timed

8 Welcometobarbados

11 Bojangles, Money Team, Rapt

15 Art Volant, Mahogany Girl, Mogul Monarch

17 Magnatear

21 French Ruler,

26 Harlow Mist, Imposant, Vintage Choice

34 Spangler

Story John Curtis, March 31, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos