Paul Murray is wary of the Gai Waterhouse juggernaut continuing in Saturday’s Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury but hopes a weight advantage for Alma’s Fury can prove a telling factor.
Waterhouse’s stable runners carved up the Sydney autumn carnival with Alma’s Fury twice on the receiving end.
The consistent Alma’s Fury was third to the Waterhouse-trained Niagara in the Group Two Ajax Stakes (1500m) two starts back and then ran into another Tulloch Lodge galloper in Fast Clip when third in the Doncaster Prelude (1600m).
Alma’s Fury meets Fast Clip again in Saturday’s Rowley Mile (1600m) with the Waterhouse-trained runner favourite at $3.60 ahead of stablemate Western Symbol.
But Alma’s Fury, a $5.50 chance on TAB Sportsbet, will meet Fast Clip 4kg better than he did in the Doncaster Prelude with Fast Clip to lump 59kg following his last start fifth in the Group One Doncaster.
“Weight is a big thing in racing these days,” Murray said.
“The four kilo difference helps us and hopefully it’s enough of a weight difference.
“The way Gai’s horses are going at the moment though, they are just flying, so he (Fast Clip) is probably the one to beat again. Hopefully we can go one better than him.”
Alma’s Fury was tried as a stayer last preparation during his three-year-old season but failed over longer races.
It prompted Murray to restrict the gelding to races up to 1600m and he’s had a successful campaign without notching a big victory.
The son of Refuse To Bend won three straight races, including two at Rosehill, during the summer before he returned after a let-up for autumn stakes races.
His four autumn starts have netted three third placings at stakes level in the Listed National Sprint at Canberra as well as the Ajax and Doncaster Prelude.
“He deserves to win one of these races,” Murray said.
“He had his last bit of work between races at Kembla on Tuesday and I’m very happy with him.”
Murray wants a good track for Alma’s Fury to produce his best.
Hawkesbury was rated in the dead range on Friday.
The trainer said he would be guided by Saturday’s performance in deciding whether to continue on for one more stakes mission this campaign.
“We’ll make a decision after tomorrow but he could go on to the Scone Cup,” Murray said.
“The Scone Cup or this run will be his last run of the campaign. He’s been up for a while now.”
