She's Saintly ridden by Jeff Penza cruises home at Kembla Grange on Saturday. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
HORSE RACING
She's Saintly's Queensland Oaks stocks are on the rise, but Paul Murray has refused to rule out a detour via the Keith Nolan Classic, Kembla Grange's richest race, for his progressive filly.
The Commands three-year-old wobbled around the turn in the heavy going on her home track on Saturday, but unleashed a strong run down the centre to enhance her stakes claims. The $165,000 Group 3 Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) will be run on March 24.
"I always thought she would nearly win [on Saturday] - I didn't think she would win on a heavy [10] first up," Murray said after the fillies and mares Maiden Plate (1000m). "I said to the owners she could end up a nice filly, a Queensland Oaks filly.
"I did tell them that was my aim [Keith Nolan Classic] if she measures up. The Keith Nolan has been a bit easier the last couple of years.
"We'll nominate, but if it's too strong we'll bypass it, get her up there and get a bit of prizemoney and get her ready for the Queensland Oaks. We've just got to hope she just keeps stepping up."
Jockey Jeff Penza was forced to work overtime to click She's Saintly into top gear after she skated around the turn on a rain-lashed surface. Kembla track staff worked overtime to ensure the meeting could even proceed after last Friday's deluge.
Penza didn't discount She's Saintly's Keith Nolan claims, but admitted she would need to find improvement to trouble more seasoned rivals.
"She's definitely on the way up and she definitely needs to improve off that to be competitive [in a race like the Keith Nolan Classic]," the veteran rider said. "She's got the makings of a decent race in her, it's just a matter of how far she can go this prep. That's what it's going to boil down to.
"She's bred to get through the going, but I just found she was slipping around the home turn a fair bit. Once she got straightened up and got running she hit the line really good."
She's Saintly is the latest self-confessed "cheapie" to roll off the production line of winners at Murray's Kembla yard.
Snapped up for just $4000 at the 2011 Magic Millions sales, She's Saintly has already lifted her career earnings above $20,000 from just four career starts.
"Michelle [partner Michelle Ritchie] and I look at horses on our own little budget that we can try to buy . . . a couple of cheapies," Murray said. "We bought her and a Domesday filly. Michelle liked the Domesday filly and I liked the Commands filly."
She's Saintly's win eased the disappointment for some of her connections, including Peter Holz, Jim Cameron and Tony Hunt, who share in the ownership of stakes-winning galloper Darci Be Good. The Hawkesbury Cup winner was scratched from the opening event at Rosehill on Saturday with a muscle problem. She's Saintly led home Monaco Doll with heavily-backed favourite Crocea ($2.20) weakening to finish third.