O’Reilly Cyrus puts G1 start on line

Trainer Liam Birchley believes the sectional times from her last-start defeat show classy filly O’Reilly Cyrus is on course for a Group One start.

O’Reilly Cyrus is set to line up in the Three-Year-Old Handicap (1200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday from barrier 14 to try to gain more prize money to qualify for next month’s Golden Rose in Sydney.

Birchley is not worried about the barrier.

“The way things have been at Eagle Farm to date, being drawn wide is no great disadvantage,” Birchley said.

O’Reilly Cyrus was having her first start after finishing seventh in the Karaka Million in New Zealand, when fifth to Rebel Miss at Doomben two weeks ago.

Rebel Miss ran a slashing 33.31 seconds for her final 600m over the 1050 metres clockers had O’Reilly Cyrus running a similar time from well back in the field.

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“If the sectionals are right she was very good in her comeback. I have been waiting to get her to the bigger Eagle Farm track,” Birchley said.

“I don’t know how much more prize money she will need to get into the field. Some years they don’t get a full field and other years you need a bit to get in,” Birchley said.

O’Reilly Cyrus has won only one race and $28,073 prize money.

Birchey will also run 2015 Karaka Million winner Hardline at Eagle Farm in a 1200m-benchmark race.

Hardline has had two throat operations to try to correct a wind problem but was well beaten into 13th place in the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton on July 13.

He ran last in a Deagon barrier trial last week but Birchley believes he is on the right trail back.

“He never does much in trials and I am expecting a better run on Saturday,” Birchley said.

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