Andrew Murray would have laughed at you had you told him six years ago that he would ever be back training horses.

But that is exactly what he is doing.

After leaving the industry the former rodeo rider has decided to give it one more shot, and things are looking optimistic.

Murray’s first purchase, Willysfilly, has already won four of her first six starts.

“I grew up with it and just got sick of it and didn’t think I’d ever come back to it actually,” Murray said.

“I went and did my building apprenticeship and was working on construction sites and doing a bit of rodeoing for five or six years.”

Murray began training again after this father-in-law wanted to buy a racehorse.

“My wife’s father was pretty keen on racing and said he wanted to get a horse and asked me if I wanted to have a go at training and that’s how it came about,” he said.

“She (Willysfilly) was the first horse I bought for him.

“Since then we’ve bought a few others too and they are starting to shape up well.”

Murray is currently training a small team of four to six horses at his stables at Sale.

Willysfilly has won all three of her races this preparation after being forced out of racing for a year after injuring both her knees.

“She injured a knee when she won at her second start (at Pakenham) and we had it operated on and tipped her out,” he said.

“We brought her back and she did both knees first-up at Caulfield.”

Murray is confident those problems are behind her now.

“She has had a few knee issues but she is holding up and thriving on racing at the moment so hopefully she can keep taking a few steps,” Murray said.

“She’s starting to show us what we thought she might have been capable of the year before.”

The trainer feels that Willysfilly could well be the one to give him his first city win when she takes to the track at Sandown tomorrow.

“Apart from the heavy track being good for her knees the whole family handle it and I think she’s a genuine wet track horse,” Murray said.

“I’d be shocked if she didn’t run a place.”

“She should be hard to beat hopefully.”