She's Saintly is back at Kembla tomorrow after a battling sixth to Diamond Drille at Canterbury on March 13. Picture: SYLVIA LIBER
KEITH NOLAN CLASSIC
Long after horse racing's millionaire row flees Australia's holiday playground, the bread-and-butter horses are paraded.
The humidity isn't as stifling, the bidding not as frenetic and the horse flesh, well, it can't count on bloodstock agents engaging in a my-purse-is-bigger-than-yours ego duel.
This is when Paul Murray comes into his own.
January on the Gold Coast isn't quite his scene. June? Now we're talking.
"We've had a lot of fun out of the Gold Coast in the June sale and we'll be back up again this year looking," Murray said.
And why wouldn't he be when he uncovers racing's version of hidden gold on an, almost, annual basis. Low risk-high reward is the mantra.
First it was the dirty and unwanted Fair Nation at the 2010 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale.
While enjoying a drink at the bar, Murray's partner Michelle Ritchie pleaded with her other half to take one of the last lots home with them.
It's the cheapest drink they've ever paid for - Fair Nation has now turned a $1500 stake into more than $120,000 in prizemoney. And he's still going.
Then came She's Saintly, which Murray shelled out $4000 for, but shows similar cheapie-done-good potential as her older stablemate.
"When we did buy her we got a bargain and hopefully it's going to work out like that," Murray said of tomorrow's Illawarra Mercury Keith Nolan Classic (1600m) bolter.
"It's a bargain at this stage and she's going to be a real bargain if she can step up to the Group and Listed races which we're hoping she can.
"Michelle rides her all her work and she's got a share in her also. She keeps her on her toes and makes sure she's up to the mark and ready for the races."
Getting ready for the Keith Nolan Classic isn't something Kembla Grange's most famous racing family is used to.
Paul has not had a runner under his name in the traditional Australian Oaks tune-up since the race's inception in 1999.
Dad Bede would probably prefer not to be reminded that Frescante's well-beaten fifth in Ponte Piccolo's Keith Nolan victory (in 2005) is the closest he's come to knocking off the biggest race at Kembla, a track he's trained winners at for 50 years.
But She's Saintly might be a little different for the Murrays, who have eyes on the Queensland Oaks for their latest emerging stayer.
"Coming back to her home track and up in grade [will be a challenge], but she's earned a crack at it," Paul said. "It's a real good feeling because it's your home track and you're going to have a runner. Hopefully you're good enough to compete and be right in the money.
"I think maybe she's a Queensland Oaks filly in the winter.
"We might as well have a stab at the race on her home track and give us a guide to see where we end up with her."
She's Saintly was still a maiden at the start of the month.
A win at Kembla on a bog track changed that and then she worked home strongly in a mid-week race at Canterbury.
Some would say it was a bread-and-butter run. Now she has a chance to prove she's anything but bread-and-butter steed.