Sunshine Coast trainer Liam Birchley knows what it takes to win the Listed TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) having trained two previous winners, and the Queensland conditioner will again be targeting the Ellerslie feature.
Birchley prepared Hardline to win in 2015 and Sister Havana in 2010, while Sarge In Charge finished second for the stable in 2009.
Two-year-old filly Dream Roca is being readied for the January 24 contest, with the daughter of El Roca set to line up over 1000m at Eagle Farm this weekend.
Runner up to Lady Of Five on debut over 1000m in October, the Gerry Harvey-bred Dream Roca is already 11th in order of Entry for the juvenile race restricted to New Zealand Bloodstock graduates.
Photo: supplied
“She is on track to head to Ellerslie for the Karaka Millions and she will probably have another run after this,” Birchley said.
“She shaped well at her first start but the fence was really hot that day and the winner drew the rails and we didn’t. She didn’t shirk her task and she was coming again at the line.”
By Fastnet Rock’s Randwick Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) runner-up El Roca, Dream Roca was purchased by Birchley for $75,000 from the Westbury Stud draft at this year’s Karaka Yearling Sales.
The filly is out of the five-win Redwood mare Petrachor.
“She is a filly that is bred to get further even though she doesn’t give me that feel,” Birchley said.
“She is bred to run a mile plus, which is good going forward, because the Karaka 3YO race is over a mile.
“She is in good shape and she has drawn well so I expect her to race well on Saturday.”
Ben Thompson will again partner Dream Roca who is a $5.50 third elect behind the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained One Day At A Time ($2.45) and the well-backed Chris and Corey Munce-trained Star Of Jamaica ($3.20).