Eagle Farm track a concern for trainer Liam Birchley
TRAINER Liam Birchley has slammed the state of the Eagle Farm track ahead of Wednesday’s mid-week meeting.
Birchley, who takes $2.60 favourite Irish Vice into the James Boag’s Doomben 10,000 maiden, said it is hard to have any confidence going into Eagle Farm races given the state of the track.
Despite taking the short-priced favourite into the second race on the card, the trainer said he has no idea how the top elect will fare.
“If you can tell me how Eagle Farm will run, I’ll let you know how I feel,” Birchley told HorseBetting.com.au.
“(It’s currently rated at) a soft seven, but it was a soft seven last Wednesday.
“We haven’t had any rain, I don’t know what’s going on, but it all depends on how well (Irish Vice) handles it.”
The trainer is not alone in his sentiments.
Racing Queensland CEO Elliot Forbes was forced to come out and address the issue of the track, stating that “The Brisbane Racing Cub has spent an enormous amount of time, effort and expense with trying to re-mediate the issues.”
Anybody who thinks the Eagle Farm track is a suitable outcome after a $10 million plus spend isn’t living in reality.
— Neil Jenkinson (@Neil_Jenkinson) April 29, 2017
Birchley said the issues need to be rectified for punters, horses and trainers alike.
“I go there with my heart in my mouth every time I go there,” the trainer said.
“Because I really don’t know how they are going to go.”
The trainer may not be certain how Irish Vice is going to go, but the market has certainly thrown its weight behind the three-year-old filly.
The next best horse in the race is Robert Heathcote-runner Big Pussy Cat ($4.40 at Crownbet.com.au), showcasing just how dominant Irish Vice is expected to be.
The horse is second up in its second racing preparation following a second placing at the Sunshine Coast at the beginning of March, but Birchley said the racing experience it has on its rivals will count for very little if it cannot handle the conditions.
“Anything is a help, but if you don’t handle the track it doesn’t matter what experience you’ve got.
“It’s just a dead-set lottery there at the moment.”
The trainer believes the booking of Jeff Lloyd is the key factor in why his filly is as short as it is heading into Wednesday.
“It’s probably because (Jeff) Lloyd’s on it,” Bichley said.
“If some lower-class jockey was on board it probably wouldn’t be at those odds.”
Irish Vice is yet to break through for a win in its seven race career, and Birchley thinks the Brisbane Winter Carnival may be out of the question unless it puts in a sparkling performance on Wednesday.
“It’d have to obviously improve a lot.
“It’s only a maiden on Wednesday, so I’d be going through the grades to begin with.
“She’s going to have to sort of take me there if she gets there, but I wouldn’t think she’s on the radar at the moment.”
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