Former rodeo rider Andrew Murray will be out to land his first metropolitan winner as a trainer when the in-form Willysfilly runs at Sandown on Wednesday.
Murray, 31, is in just his second year of training and has a small team of four to six horses in work at a time at Sale.
Willysfilly was the first horse he prepared and will be his third city starter.
Murray, son of Sale trainer Cliff Murray, said he got tired of the horses a few years back.
“I grew up with it and just got sick of it and didn’t think I’d ever come back to it actually,” he said.
“I went and did my building apprenticeship and was working on construction sites and doing a bit of rodeoing for five or six years.”
A $50,000 yearling purchase in Melbourne, Willysfilly is raced by himself, his wife and her family and has won four of her six starts including all three this preparation on her home track.
“My wife’s father was pretty keen on racing and said he wanted to get a horse and asked me if I wanted to have a go at training and that’s how it came about,” he said.
“She (Willysfilly) was the first horse I bought for him.”
“Since then we’ve bought a few others too and they are starting to shape up well.”
A French Deputy mare, Willysfilly is out of the Canny Lad mare Best O’ Barossa, a 1000m winner at Flemington who has had four named foals who have all won races.
“She (Willysfilly) has had a few knee issues but she is holding up and thriving on racing at the moment so hopefully she can keep taking a few steps,” Murray said.
“She injured a knee when she won at her second start (at Pakenham) and we had it operated on and tipped her out.
“We brought her back and she did both knees first-up at Caulfield.”
After 13 months on the sidelines, Willysfilly has not looked back with decisive wins over 1000m on May 8, 1100m on May 26 and 1000m on June 5.
“She’s starting to show us what we thought she might have been capable of the year before,” Murray said.
Michael Walker, who won on the rising five-year-old last start, retains the mount in The Cove Hotel Hcp (1000m) for mares.
Murray said the heavy (8) track would suit Willysfilly.
“Apart from the heavy track being good for her knees the whole family handle it and I think she’s a genuine wet track horse,” he said.
“I’d be shocked if she didn’t run a place. She should be hard to beat hopefully.”
Willysfilly is $4 favourite with TAB Sportsbet ahead of Play Just For Me at $4.40, Ourkohinoor at $5.50, Humma Mumma at $6.50 and Alittlevolcanic at $7.50.
AAP TURF
