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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Graeme Murray is adamant there’s more to lightly raced mare Nicci’s Song than just her speed but that’s the asset likely to serve her well at her metropolitan debut at Newcastle on Wednesday.

The ATC meeting was transferred away from Randwick to give the two tracks there a rest from carrying the load and the Vinery Stud Handicap became a 900m scamper which, at this stage of her career, is right in the mare’s wheelhouse.

“She is starting to settle in her races and I think she will run a strong 1200m eventually in her career,’’ Murray said.

“But she’s a speed horse at the moment, I’ve restricted her to 1000m races while she’s a filly that’s still learning. At the moment I let her run and let her learn herself.

“When we broke her in she showed she had a bit of ability. I thought she’d settle a bit more but she’s a highly strung filly so we’ve restricted her to 1000m.”

Nicci’s Song has won four of her eight starts. But if you take away her first two starts at 1100m where she settled well off the speed her record when using her pace reads four wins and a second from six starts.

Nicci's Song wins at Goulburn on July 30

So you can understand Murray allowing the four-year-old to do what’s clearly suiting her best at the moment as she works her way through the grades away from the city.

“The best place for them is to teach them in the country, they can get a couple of wins and start to learn all about it,’’ he said.

“She’s not a hard horse to deal with or anything, once you leg up a jockey or trackwork rider she’s there to do business.

“She has to go to town on her benchmark so we’re happy to take on the city people now.

“If you go too early with some horses the handicapper gets at you but we’ve just poked along, teaching her a few things along the way, and she’s won some BOBS bonuses.”

Jeff Penza continues his association with Nicci’s Song, $5.50 with TAB on Tuesday, at Newcastle having been on board in her past two wins with the latest an all the way 3-1/4 length victory at Goulburn on July 30.

Murray said he expects the mare to take advantage of an inside barrier and she’s already proven to be as effective on a good track as she was in the wet first-up.

“We always knew she would be better on top of the ground, she’s an adaptable filly,’’ he said.

“She can run through the mud and match them on top of the ground. We’re not racing against the best and if we’re going to go to town this is the best time to go and give her every chance to clock up a metro win against her name.

“She’ll sit beside the leader or we’ll lead, that’s how she races and we’ll run with that.”

All the fields, form and replays for Wednesday's Newcastle meeting