RITCHIE TAKES BACK FILLY FOR RANDWICK RESUMPTION

PAUL Murray was speaking tongue-in-cheek!

“My wife pinched her off me,” was his comment this morning in relation to smart youngster Where’s The Circus’ return at Royal Randwick on Saturday – with a “new” trainer.

In reality, the Kembla Grange trainer’s partner Michelle Ritchie is back as the trainer of the lightly-raced filly, who resumes in the 2YO Handicap (1100m) at a track she knows well.

Murray trained the daughter of Trapeze Artist when she made a brilliant debut at Randwick last December, running her rivals off their legs to win the Inglis Nursery (1000m), earning a $231,000 purse.

A tidy return indeed on the $1250 she fetched when purchased online as a yearling in September 2024.

However, the now Kembla Grange-based Ritchie has pointed out that she is the managing part-owner of Where’s The Circus, and actually began training her before she raced.

“It was too difficult training the filly properly, getting her to and from Berry to work her,” Ritchie explained.

“I knew she had ability and that’s why I handed her over to Paul to prepare at Kembla.”

Where’s The Circus is the only current member of Ritchie’s team; her other horse, Wootton Bassett three-year-old Six Kings, previously trained by Ciaron Maher and on sold for $9500 in May, has gone for a break.

Where’s The Circus will be Ritchie’s first runner in town in just over 12 months since Discreet Miss (now trained at Charleville in south-west Queensland) went around at Rosehill Gardens on July 5 last year.

She drew off the track that day – and it’s no different this time with Where’s The Circus.

“I’m a bit disappointed with the barrier,” Ritchie said of the filly’s 14 in a capacity field.

Understandable considering the rail is 11m out from the 1000m to the winning post, and 8m for the remainder of the circuit.

“But Where’s The Circus is in good order, and won her 800m trial (on the inside Illawarra Grange track) at home on July 3.

“She led clearly and then two of her rivals came at her on the inside in the straight, but she kicked away and scored easily.”

Jean Van Overmeire, who rode Where’s The Circus in her Randwick triumph last December and again in the recent trial, has the mount again on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Murray will have his good mare Harry’s Bar scanned tomorrow following a nasty incident which forced her out of the Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton last week.

Harry’s Bar drew the rails and was first into the stalls, but got fractious and became cast under the barriers.

“It’s not the first time she has played up like that, but she definitely races best when on the fresh side, and that’s how I had her for the Ramornie,” Murray said.

“The clerks of the course were stabled next to us at the track, and told me it was miraculous she didn’t break her neck.

“I’m hopeful it is bone bruising only, but will get her off foreleg scanned tomorrow just to be sure.

“That will determine what we do with the mare in the immediate future.

“As a result of the Grafton incident, a veterinary clearance has to be provided and she has to trial before stewards to be cleared to resume racing.”

STORY JOHN CURTIS, JULY 23, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS