Birchley eager to add a cup to his CV
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 first made his mark in New Zealand in 2009 when 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 2-year-old race.
Birchley is now looking to add the Wellington Cup at Trentham with Pop ‘N’ Scotch to his list of Kiwi conquests.
“He’s 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 Queensland Cup. He was beaten by Mister Impatience, who won last year’s Wellington Cup and who will 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 2200m 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. There’s not much else for him so it could be a good idea to hang around over there.”
Meanwhile, Awapuni apprentice Tim Johnson will spend a lengthy period sidelined with injury after an incident on Saturday evening which resulted in a broken arm.
Johnson’s employer Mark Oulaghan said he was yet to hear the full story as to how the injury occurred, but he did confirm it was not “horse related.”
“I haven’t caught up with him yet and got all the details, but they did have to operate so he could be out for six weeks to a couple of months.”
Johnson is sitting on 21 wins for the season and is second behind Sam Weatherley on the apprentices’ championship.
Top southern sprinter First Serve is thriving ahead of Saturday’s Telegraph at Trentham.
“We’re really happy with her, she’s doing everything right,” said Michael Pitman, who trains the Swiss Ace mare with his son Matthew.
The winner of seven of her nine starts, the 4-year-old had her first look around Trentham when she galloped impressively there on Saturday morning.
Further north, Cambridge galloper Farm Boy is ready to get his career back on track.
He has recovered from a leg injury and is now set to open his summer campaign.
“He’s come up really well and we’ll probably run him in the open 1400 at Tauranga on Friday,” said Tim Carter.