Aussie raider back for tilt at Wellington Cup
Liam Birchley has enjoyed major overseas success with younger members of his Eagle Farm stable and now he’s looking to an older representative of the team to follow suit.
The Queenslander, who took his Magic Millions bonuses beyond A$1.2 million on the weekend, first made his mark in New Zealand in 2009.
Sarge In Charge finished runner-up in the Karaka Million and he was back a year later to go one better with Sister Havana. He was again celebrating at Ellerslie in 2015 when Hardline was successful in the country’s richest two-year-old race.
Birchley is now looking to add the Group III Wellington Cup at Trentham with Pop ‘N’ Scotch to his list of Kiwi conquests and he’s bringing a legendary jockey with him.
Robert Thompson has ridden more winners than any jockey in the history of Australian racing – he has broken the 4,000 mark – and he’s still riding winners.
Thompson, 57, can still ride 53kg and that’s part of the reason Birchley has booked him for Trentham.
‘‘The horse will be on the minimum and Robert has finished second on him over 3200m in the Queensland Cup,’’ he said. ‘‘He knows the horse and he can fit Trentham into his schedule.
‘‘The horse is a good stayer and, to be honest, there weren’t many other options with him,’’ he said. ‘‘There’s not enough races long enough for him so Trentham suits him. We started looking around for other options a while ago and hopefully he goes well.’’
The winner of four races, Pop ‘N’ Scotch boasts an interesting form line for Trentham having finished runner-up in the 2015 Listed Queensland Cup. He was beaten by Mister Impatience, who won last year’s Wellington Cup and who will be back to defend his title.
Pop ‘N’ Scotch further underlined his two mile qualities when he again finished runner-up in the Queensland Cup last July. Most recently, the 6-year-old finished third under 59.5kg over 2200 metres at the Gold Coast.
‘‘His last run was pretty good and while he can be a little bit in and out, on his day he’s pretty effective,’’ Birchley said.
‘‘We may stay on for the Auckland Cup,’’ Birchley said.
Meantime Birchley has never won a Magic Millions Two-YearOld Classic, but horses he trains have now won more than A$1 million in bonus payments.
Connections of Birchley’s Classic runner Real Princess are A$325,000 richer despite the filly finishing eighth on Gold Coast Millions day on Saturday.
Magic Millions have a Racing Women’s Bonus of A$500,000 which is shared by the first four horses across the line owned entirely by women.
There were only four eligible horses in this year’s race, with Real Princess doing the best and earning A$325,000.
Birchley has also taken part of the bonus with Pepperano (A$325,000 in 2015), Saga of The Storm (A$25,000, 2015), Ruby Sho (A$100,000, 2014) Sagatona (A$50,000, 2014) and Missy Long Stocking (A$100,000, 2013).