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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Paul Murray has set the bar high for promising mare Harry’s Bar this spring so he’d like to see her take a step up when she returns at Kensington on Wednesday.

Trainer Paul Murray (Pic: Bradley Photos)

The four-year-old hasn’t raced for two months since she broke through for her first win at Canterbury in August as Murray set her aside for an ambitious spring and summer campaign.

So there’s a level of expectation when she tackles the Bivouac @ Darley Handicap (1150m).

“We gave her a little freshen up because we’re hoping she can go through to the Magic Millions,’’ Murray said.

“She had two weeks in the paddock, we saw this race as a lead up to the Gong Day where there’s a fillies and mares race for her. If she can measure up to that one we’ll try to get her into the Millions.

“She has come on, I’m really impressed with the way she’s going. She keeps taking the next step as we ask her in trackwork so we thought we’d go back and have another crack at a city race.”

Harry’s Bar, $7.50 with TAB on Tuesday, hasn’t trialled publicly since her maiden win but Murray said she pleased him in a jump out at Kembla Grange a couple of weeks ago and in her subsequent work.

He concedes she’s still on a learning curve given her inexperience but has no doubt she can make the transition from maiden company.

“She’s showing us that she’s up to the city class,’’ he said.

“Since she had her first run she’s improved each time. When she ran second at Canterbury you can see the big difference to the next race that she won.

“She didn’t know how to let down at her second start but when she won she really let down.”

Murray said he’d expect Harry’s Bar to be on the speed somewhere at Kensington and while she led all the way to her first win she doesn’t need to lead.

“She’ll be in the first three I reckon but Reece (Jones) knows her,’’ he said.

“She’s got the speed if we have to use it and she’s pretty versatile, she’ll come back to you.”

Meanwhile, Bega Cup winner Winning Point is set to tackle two races within four days worth a total of $1.25 million as Murray hopes to take advantage of an interrupted start to her preparation.

Winning Point was scheduled to resume at Kembla Grange on September 19 but that meeting was lost after just two races due to extreme winds so she’s only had two runs back.

The Bega Cup win earned her Big Dance eligibility, but her rating will see her miss the cut so she'll contest the $750,000 Little Dance at Randwick next Tuesday – before that she’ll run in Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway at Rosehill.

Harry's Bar wins at Canterbury on August 28

“I think she will be competitive, if she can draw a nice alley on Saturday I think you’ll see a different mare,’’ he said.

“At this stage she’ll run in both. She can go around in the Pillars then back up in the Little Dance.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday’s Kensington meeting