Racing
Long road trip for Gold Czech
Liam Birchley has been forced to head to Victoria in his bid to qualify Gold Czech for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast.
At this time of year, it is the annual migration north looking for a spot in the Magic Millions Carnival at the Gold Coast.
But Sunshine Coast-based trainer Liam Birchley has made the call to head south to Victoria in his bid to get two-year-old Gold Czech to the Gold Coast on January 17.
In an ideal world, Birchley would prefer to remain in Queensland and tackle the lead-up two-year-old races to the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) next month.
But with no two-year-old race in Brisbane this weekend and the Group 3 B J McLachlan Stakes at Eagle Farm next week, Saturday's Magic Millions VIC 2YO Classic (1100m) at Caulfield Heath is considered by Birchley the best option.
Birchley said it was easier for trainers with two-year-olds in New South Wales or Victoria to qualify for the Magic Millions than it was in his home state.
"If the programming had been a little bit better, I wouldn't need to travel," Birchley said.
"We don't have a Magic Millions standalone race in Queensland, and it's our race.
"We're forced to earn double the amount of prize money as the southern state horse because of the disparity, and I think it's a joke.
"There's no two-year-old race on Saturday and then the following weekend we've got the B J McLachlan which is a Stakes race.
"It will be a big field, there will be multiple nominations from New South Wales and Victoria, so I'm more than likely to miss out on a run there as well and if I wait another week, you run out of time to qualify."
Birchley said running first or second at Caulfield Heath on Saturday would likely be enough prize money to get a start at the Gold Coast.
But the long float trip to Melbourne, via Sydney, arriving on Thursday, and then return, was something Birchley said was not ideal for the gelding.
Added to that is whether Gold Czech will handle the Caulfield Heath layout, having only done slow work on his 'Melbourne leg'.
"He's shown something," Birchley said.
"He won his last trial. It was a two and three-year-old trial but it's hard to gauge the form out of it.
"He did get back and ran on, and whether that will be conducive to the Caulfield Heath track, that will be another thing as well.
"He will be in there with a hope, but there are more unknowns than usual."
Luke Nolen has been booked for the ride on the debutant on Saturday.
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