Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray has banished any thought of retirement after the win of bargain-basement filly Where’s The Circus in last Saturday’s $400,000 Inglis Nursery for two-year-olds at Randwick.
“I said to Mum this year when we bought a few two-year-olds that if it doesn’t work out, that might be it, but after today I’d say we’ve got a few years left in us yet,” Murray said.
Murray and partner Michelle Ritchie bought the Trapeze Artist filly in an online sale for $1250 in September 2024. She picked up $231,000 for her Nursery win, starting at $51 after $126 was bet early in the week.
“That’s just a sensational effort,” Murray said. “She’s always shown us a little bit at home. We’ve just kept her under wraps and haven’t done much with her. We’ve just brought her through slowly. 
“We came here pretty confident today and thought she’d run really well. She’s got good gate speed as you saw today and showed she’s pretty tough as well.”
 Murray was quick to praise jockey Jean Van Overmeire’s contribution. 
“He gave her a great ride. He had a few rides booked for Newcastle but decided earlier in the week he wanted to ride her, which is saying something. 
“I’m glad he stuck with her because he did exactly what we wanted. I just wanted him to hold her up as long as he could until she cruised up the hill, and he did. 
“She’s a very gutsy thing and there’s a lot more to her … we haven’t got to the bottom of her.”
Digital economy
Murray wasn’t the only non-metro trainer to show a substantial return on investment for connections at the Randwick meeting. 
Earlier on the program, Goulburn-based Matthew Dale won the 1000-metre Class 3 TAB Highway Handicap with Massira ($11), an ex-Godolphin gelding who changed hands for $37,500 in an Inglis Digital sale last year. 
Following last Saturday’s win, Massira has banked $187,550 for his new connections. 
“It’s proving a great platform to buy a horse and also to sell a horse,” Dale said. “It creates opportunities for everyone that uses it and it caters for all types of buyers and sellers. 
“I’ve been very lucky and had great success using it. In the last 24 hours both my winners have been tried horses purchased online.”
(Dale won a 1550-metre benchmark 78 with ex-Lindsay Park mare Bravissima at Canterbury the night before.)
After Massira drew barrier 15 in the 18-horse field, jockey Adam Hyeronimus found himself trapped five wide until turning into the straight, at which point he drove his mount to the front and secured what was to prove a winning break. 
“He stepped him into gear and had him travelling and we left it up to Hippo (Hyeronimus) to decide where to put him. 
“He’s won a couple of Highways for us now so he’s got good ability. He has to step into open company now but I do think he’s an off-season Saturday-grade horse. 
“There’s a benchmark 78 over 1100 metres which will suit him in a couple of weeks’ time. I’m still working him out a bit and he’s still working out who he is and I think the best is still to come.”
Believe the Hype
The other non-metro trainer to score at Randwick was Hawkesbury’s Brad Widdup, who took the opening 1600-metre benchmark 78 with last-start Rosehill winner and $2.90 favourite Hyperbolic. 
The mare finished strongly under Tommy Berry to win drawing away from the Waterhouse/Bott-trained Bella Montagna. 
“She’s going the right way,” Widdup said. “We’ve been patient just waiting to get to Saturday level and we’re starting to reap the rewards. 
“She’s won two in a row now and it’s not easy to do, so obviously she has a lot more to offer.”  
Around the traps
The in-form Pierre Boudvillain kept up the good work at Canberra last Friday, riding a winning treble on the seven-race program.
At Warren the same day, promising three-kilo claimer Jake Stiff rode a double. 
At Murwillumbah, local Matt Dunn fared best of the trainers, leading in a winning treble. 
At the Moulamein picnic meeting last Saturday, Wangaratta trainer Andrew Dale produced the feature winner, Copperfield ($4 favourite) taking the Moulamein Cup (1600m) under Nathan Punch. The winner careered away to win by nearly five lengths from Hard To Go Wrong. 
Punch took riding honours for the day with three winners, two of them for Dale.
At Hawkesbury last Sunday, Wyong’s Nacim Dlimi trained the winners of the first two races, both ridden by Reece Jones. 
At Nowra, Kembla Grange-based Robert and Luke Price led in two winners, both ridden by Brock Ryan. Their second, Century Song, was impressive in recording a three-length win in the $50,000 Super Maiden (1100m). 
Coast with the most
This Sunday all eyes will be on the south coast for the Moruya Jockey Club’s Narooma Cup meeting, with the feature over 1300 metres. The support card includes a $50,000 Super Maiden over the same trip and the 1010-metre Narooma Town Plate.