Murphy hopeful Prado can end her city drought

By Glenn Davis

It’s been a long time between drinks in the metropolitan arena for Beaudesert trainer Diane Murphy.

However, Murphy hopes to end her dry spell when she heads to Ipswich on Wednesday with her consistent gelding Prado.

Prado - an Anthony Allen mount - will be chasing his fourth win in 26 starts in the Class 3 Plate over 1710 metres.

Murphy hasn’t trained a Brisbane metropolitan winner since Glen Ord was successful at Doomben in 2021.

“It’s been a while since my last city winner, but I’ve chipped around the edges with a few placings,” Murphy said.

Glen Ord was one of Murphy’s favourite horses along with Peacock who claimed the Rockhampton and Cairns Newmarkets in 2018.

“Peacock gave me my best wins, but we had a lot of fun with Glen Ord who was a handy little fella who won 10 races,” Murphy said.

“My most exciting race was finishing second one year when we got $101 with Astoria in the (Listed) Eye Liner which (Perth trainer) Daniel Morton won with Man Booker.”

Prado has been a consistent performer over the past 10 months with two wins and five placings before putting in one of his worst performances of his career last month.

He beat only one runner home at his last appearance in a 1600 metre Class 3 Plate at Eagle Farm.

“Anthony got off him and said it was a shifty track and he didn’t let down like he normally does,” Murphy said.

“He ran third at Eagle Farm the previous start, but it rained that day and it was a different type of track.”

Prado is a noted back marker and Murphy is hopeful the son of Extreme Choice can bounce back.

“He’ll get back as he normally does but hopefully, he’ll be coming wide and rattling home,” she said.

“He likes Ipswich and has a good record there and the further he goes the better.

“He’s a gutsy little fella who puts everything into his races that’s why we give him three weeks between runs.”

Murphy has been training for 15 years after learning the ropes working for New Zealand trainers Roger James, Gary Stewart and Kaye Tinsley.

She also had two stints, one for six months and another for a year, riding trackwork in Japan.

Prado was a $7,000 buy online for Murphy’s husband Craig who races the gelding in partnership with long time client Jaylene Prescott and her grandmother.

“We got him off the Freedmans after they originally sold him but because he was a wind sucker, he was sold again and we picked him up for $7,000,” Murphy said.

Prado has since gone on to be a bargain buy for connections earning more than $120,000 in prizemoney.