MURRAY BACK FOR PMC FINAL WITH “HARRY”

PAUL Murray is nothing if not determined.

The Kembla Grange trainer was eagerly looking forward last year to attempting to emulate his legendary late father Bede, who won the inaugural Provincial Championships Final with Sure and Fast in 2015.

He had qualified Welcometobarbados for the $1m Final by winning a Newcastle heat from Lord Of Biscay and Matcha Latte; her fifth success at only her ninth start.

The mare then won a 900m Canberra barrier trial in the lead-up to the big day – but unfortunately she never got there.

Murray had to withdraw the talented mare only days before the Final when an injury surfaced, and as it turned out, the Newcastle win was to be her last race; subsequently having.

Missing the Final with one of the real live chances was disappointing enough, and it became even more devastating when the two horses she beat at Newcastle filled the first two placings in reverse order.

Nonetheless, Murray is back there this year with another representative in the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

And he will have managing part-owner Ian Neville OAM to thank if 11 years down the track, Harry’s Bar can give him the same thrill his father achieved with Sure And Fast.

Like Welcometobarbados, Harry’s Bar is a mare; notwithstanding the name seems strange.

A daughter of Harry Angel, she was initially purchased for $150,000 at the 2022 Magic Millions National yearling sale.

As an unraced three-year-old, she was advertised at John Singleton’s unreserved Strawberry Hill dispersal sale in August the following year, and sold for a much cheaper $20,000.

Harry’s Bar joined Hawkesbury trainer Mick Attard’s stable, but never raced for him.

An ownership problem resulted in her again being put for sale, this time online through Inglis Digital in February 2024.

“Ian (Neville) was involved in a few horses with Dad, and had some connection with Mick Attard,” Murray said.

“As a result, we bought three horses at that sale, including Harry’s Bar for $18,000, and were able to put a syndicate together to race her.”

From 14 starts, Harry’s Bar has won twice and been placed seven times and earned $218,800 prizemoney.

One of those placings was a qualifying close second (to Mogul Monarch) in the 1200m Gosford heat on March 14.

And as with Welcometobarbados, Murray goes into Saturday’s Final without starting her in between.

“My partner Michelle Ritchie and myself discussed it after the Gosford race and decided to go straight to Final with Harry’s Bar,” Murray explained.

“Instead she had a nice jumpout at Kembla Grange last week, with Welcometobarbados’ jockey Jean Van Overmeire aboard.

“JVO has ridden Harry’s Bar at six of her last seven starts (including Gosford), and came to Kembla for the jumpout.

“He was pretty happy with how she felt.

“It’s a bit different to last year in that we’re going to the Final this time with a mare who is at much bigger odds (currently $34), but that’s okay.

“Harry’s Bar is in great order, and ready to give a great account of herself for all of us concerned.

“Of course it would be very special indeed if she could put my name alongside Dad’s as a winner of this race.”

HOOFNOTE: The other two horses purchased along with Harry’s Bar at that February 2024 Inglis online sale were a Capitalist filly and Too Darn Hot filly.

“We onsold the Capitalist, and still have the Too Darn Hot,” Murray said.

“She was named Amber Moon when we bought her, but given what happened to be able to buy these horses online just over two years ago, we renamed her Burnt Fingers.

“Her first start was at the Grafton carnival in July 2024 (the same day Harry’s Bar debuted when runner-up), and her second was at Nowra in February last year.

“Unlike Harry’s Bar, things haven’t gone as well and we have had our problem with Burnt Fingers, but she is back in work and was placed in a Kembla Grange barrier trial last week.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, APRIL 5, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS