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Short sprint the key to mare's chances at Kembla (Saturday)

3 minute read

Paul Murray is hoping to pick up where he left off last week at Kembla Grange with in-form mare Crystal Waters headlining a trio of chances for his stable on Saturday.

The Kembla trainer had a winning double earlier this month with Crystal Waters returning to the scene of her strong last start success.

Crystal Waters showed a strong late burst to salute over 1500m and will reunite with Winona Costin in the Noel Espartero Memorial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1500m).

"She has just found a little bit of form again," Paul Murray said.

"You just have to ride her right. A lot of them go too early and she can't finish off.

"I said to Winona last week that you just have to hold her up as long as you can because she can only sprint for about 100m."

Crystal Waters is an $8.50 TAB hope to double the dose on home turf while Costin will pilot all of Murray's runners on the afternoon.

She has been set a task aboard Reckless Intention, which has drawn out in barrier 12 in the Albion Park RSL Sub-Branch Provincial Maiden Handicap (1300m).

Reckless Intention is a $5 chance to break his maiden after showing some promise when placing in four of his nine starts to date.

The Wilful Default gelding finished a close second two starts ago at Albury before leading them up at the Sapphire Coast and running third.

"I freshened him up for Albury and Reece Jones rode him when he ran fourth that day and said he thought he might be looking for 1400m," Murray said.

"We freshened him up and thought we would get away with it. He ran at the Sapphire Coast and then I've done a couple of things between now and we will step him up to the 1300m which should suit him.

"He can go forward and settle behind the lead."

Devil Dan ($41) is the outsider of Murray trio with his trainer expecting he will only be getting warm late in the Woonona Bulli RSL Benchmark 68 Handicap (1400m).

Murray is hoping to get some fitness under the son of Tavistock's belt as he steps him up in trip later this preparation: "He will probably need one more," Murray said.

"Then we can step him up to a mile but the horse is going well."

Kembla Grange hosts an eight-race card on the weekend with the opener jumping at 12.30pm.


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