Liam Birchley put a positive and light-hearted spin on Missy Longstocking’s nightmare barrier in Saturday’s Ken Russell Memorial Classic at the Gold Coast.
“At least the riding instructions will be simple,” Birchley said after Missy Longstocking drew the outside barrier in the 17-horse field.
“We’ll just go back and ride for luck. If anything, she’s looking to relax now more than ever so we won’t have to strangle her to come from behind.”
The Ken Russell will be Missy Longstocking’s winter carnival opener after the filly’s brave third to Real Surreal in the Magic Millions at the Gold Coast in January.
Birchley is happy with the filly’s recovery from a minor hoof problem at the start of her preparation.
“It set us back a couple of weeks but she’s as good as gold now,” he said.
“I usually leave two to three weeks up my sleeve in case something like that occurs.
“Luckily I was able to keep her going on the water walker while she was recovering but she didn’t miss much work.”
Jockey Damian Browne believes Missy Longstocking is adaptable enough to cope with her wide barrier.
“She showed in the Magic Millions that she could get back, relax and still hit the line,” he said.
“Saturday will give me the chance to ride her quietly and, if she gets a bit of luck in running, she’ll be in the finish because as we all know she’s a quality filly.”
While Missy Longstocking suffered her first defeat in the Millions, Browne maintains she was unlucky in finishing third.
“She and Real Surreal were racing together in midfield and I elected to get to the outside because I didn’t want to be held up and Mick (Cahill) got the run through and he won the race,” Browne said.
“In hindsight, if I stayed where I was I probably nearly get the same run as the winner. But then again, if I’d gone up the straight with my feet in her mouth I would’ve been hung.”
Browne believes Missy Longstocking’s win in last year’s BJ McLachlan Stakes at Doomben when she defeated subsequent Golden Slipper placegetter Sweet Idea confirms the strength of her form.
