MURRAY’S PLAN TO “BAR” ACCIDENTS LEADING UP TO PMC FINAL

ONCE bitten, twice shy!

Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray is taking no chances with Harry’s Bar, who qualified for the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 11 by finishing second in yesterday’s fourth Qualifier (1200m) at Gosford.

Understandably, Murray would dearly love to emulate his legendary late father Bede, who won the inaugural Final in 2015 with Sure And Fast, and Harry’s Bar races in the same colours.

Even more so as he was devastated when he had to withdraw Welcometobarbados (five wins from nine starts) only days before last year’s Final because of injury.

Now retired Welcometobarbados had beaten Lord Of Biscay and Matcha Latte in a Newcastle Qualifier (1400m), and that pair ran the quinella in the Final in reverse order.

Whilst Murray could not avoid that mare’s disaster, he is carefully planning to ensure Harry’s Bar is fit and ready to go on April 11.

“Harry’s Bar can be a naughty horse in the barriers,” he said.

“Twice she has gone under the front of the stalls, once before a race on the Kensington track last August when she was a late scratching, and the other before a trial.

“Harry’s Bar is no trouble to do anything with, but for some reason can play up in the barriers, especially at her first start back.

“Jean Van Overmeire rode the mare yesterday, and had one of the barrier staff keep a close eye on her, and it worked out well.

“A few people have been asking if I will run her again before the Final.

“My partner Michelle Ritchie and myself discussed the matter at length driving home from Gosford, and feel it is best not to start her again in the interim.

“Now that Harry’s Bar has qualified for the Final, I don’t want to take the chance of something happening in the barriers if she has another run.

“I’m confident that with a jumpout at Kembla Grange and some gallops, I will have her right for the Final.”

Murrays wants Van Overmeire to continue a good association with the mare in the Final.

“JVO has ridden Harry’s Bar at six of her last seven starts, and won a Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap

(1300m) at Rosehill Gardens last July,” he said.

“He also rode her in two trials at Warwick Farm and Moruya last year (she won both).

“Because of her quirkiness in the barriers stalls, it’s absolutely important to have a jockey who knows her as well as JVO does.”

. Whilst Newcastle’s leading trainer Kris Lees qualified Miss Busslinger (second to pre-post favorite Matcha Latte at Hawkesbury yesterday week), he is considering running last year’s Final runner-up Lord Of Biscay in Saturday’s fifth Qualifier (1400m) at Kembla Grange.

“At this stage I will run him if it’s dry, but if it’s wet Imposant (third to Matcha Latte in last year’s Final) will go instead.”

The eight qualifiers for the Final so far are:

PROVINCIALS: Oui Oui Oui (Jason Attard, Hawkesbury), Buffalo (David Atkins, Newcastle), Oakfield Jupiter (Damien Lane, Wyong), Matcha Latte (Nacim Dilmi, Wyong), Miss Busslinger (Kris Lees, Newcastle), Mogul Monarch (Kin Waugh, Wyong), Harry’s Bar (Paul Murray, Kembla Grange);

MIDWAY: Octa De Lago (Richard Litt, Warwick Farm).

Newcastle trainer Paul Perry was another provincial winner at Gosford yesterday, with debutante Don’t Look Back.

Ridden by Newcastle apprentice Shannen Llewellyn, Don’t Look Back ($5) defeated fellow Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ Pomelo Chamomile ($2.90) in the 2YO Maiden Plate (1100m).

Don’t Look Back, a gelded son of Saxon Warrior, cost only $6500 at last year’s Inglis HTBA yearling sale in Sydney.

Lees got on the scoreboard later with smart filly Cantiamo ($1.45 favorite), who was too classy for her rivals in the Provincial Benchmark 68 Handicap (1000m).

Stable apprentice Will Stanley rode Cantiamo, and continued his good run by also scoring on Cessnock trainer Jeremy Sylvester’s Unreachable ($4.80) in the Benchmark 64 Handicap (1100m).

STORY JOHN CURTIS, MARCH 15, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS