Trainer Liam Birchley treads familiar path towards 12th straight Millions

BRISBANE trainer Liam Birchley will saddle up a runner in this Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic for the 12th straight year.

Magic Millions Sales

IF you keep knocking on the door, one day it will open.

That is the philosophy of Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley as he gets set to saddle up a runner in Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic for the 12th consecutive year.

It is a remarkable record that not even the queen of Magic Millions, Gai Waterhouse, can equal.

Despite his heavy involvement in the rich race, Birchley is still searching for his winner in the rich 2YO Classic.

“It has been frustrating of sorts but a lot of them have run extremely well in it and the cards just haven’t fallen my way so far,” Birchley said.

“I don’t think anyone would say Paprika shouldn’t have won the race when she ran second in 2009 and she probably should have.

“But that’s racing and everyone has those stories and you’ve just­

got to turn the page and look to the next year.”

Birchley also ran second in the race with Pepperano last year and third with Ruby Soho and Missy Longstocking in 2014 and 2013 respectively.

This year he will saddle up $81 chance Punishing.

He would have preferred a better barrier than 16.

However, he still feels the Not A Single Doubt colt is the forgotten runner in the race this year.

“I would just like this year to be a bit different than the others,” Birchley said. “He hasn’t drawn well but he probably is the forgotten horse because I jumped him out with blinkers on last Thursday and he went like a bomb.

“The blinkers have improved him at least three lengths, possibly four and he will wear them this weekend.”

Regardless of the result on Saturday, one thing you can be sure of is that Birchley will be back for another crack next year.

The 50-year-old is renowned as one of Queensland’s best trainers but perhaps his greatest gift is finding a bargain at the sales.

Birchley never pays huge prices for his yearlings.

That makes his feat of having at least one runner in the race for the past 12 years even more impressive.

“I prefer (picking out horses at the sales) than training and I find it easier than training,” Birchley said.

“The thing people get caught up with buying horses is they worry too much about pedigree and not enough about the individual.

“It’s been proven time and time again athletes run and they don’t know who their mother and father is.

“You find some of the finest athletes ever born come out of the ghetto and that tells you a lot about breeding.”

One example is Sir Breakfast.

Birchley described his breeding page as “very modest”.

However Sir Breakfast was an athlete and that is why Birchley bought him some 15 years ago.

“He won ($834,750) in prizemoney and cost $12,000,” Birchley said.

As for his chances to break the drought in the 2YO Classic this year, Birchley is not getting carried away.

But that is mainly because the odds-on favourite Capitalist seems to have a mortgage on the race.

“Capitalist will be hard to beat

but my horse should run well,” Birchley said.

“I would love to win this race.

“I’ve never had a Stradbroke runner and I can’t think I’m going to be competing year to year in that race but this is one race I’ve had a long association with without actually winning it.

“But if you keep knocking on the door, one day it will open.”

BIRCHLEY’S AMAZING RUN

Liam Birchley’s record in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic since 2003:

2015: Pepperano (second), Saga Of The Storm (10th), Flamenco (15th)

2014: Ruby Soho (third), Sagatona (equal sixth)

2013: Missy Longstocking (third)

2012: Snipzu (ninth)

2011: Pepper Jet (fourth)

2010: Wandering Star (15th)

2009: Paprika (second), Fairchild (eighth)

2008: Pandemonia (15th)

2007: My Man Murphy (11th)

2006: Charmana Star (11th)

2005: Upilio (sixth), Rashini (seventh)

2004: No runner

2003: Helter Skelter (ninth)