Trainer Liam Birchley will put his eggs in one basket on Saturday when his only two Doomben runners go head to head.
Birchley, who won Thursday’s Coffs Harbour Cup with Pepperwood, will start mares Liesele and Devils Melody in the McInnes Wilson One Metro Win Handicap (1110m) and both are leading chances.
Liesele, who will have champion jockey Chris Munce aboard, is the $2.50 TAB Sportsbet favourite with Devils Melody, a Ric McMahon ride, the $6.50 third pick.
“Liesele is going great. She won last start and she should get another cosy run from the gate so we’re hopeful with her,” Birchley said.
Liesele has won or been placed at 16 of her 23 starts but she has yet to win at Doomben.
Birchley is confident the five-year-old can rectify that from her ideal draw in two.
“She will be in the first half of the field I think and it should just set up for her nicely,” he said.
Devils Melody will go into the race second-up following a midfield effort in the Sir James Kirby at Grafton where she made late ground.
She has drawn barrier 10 in the field of 15 but Birchley doesn’t see it as a major drawback provided horses are able to run on from behind come raceday.
“She had no luck at Grafton, she got too far out of her ground,” Birchley said.
“As long as the track is playing fairly she should be running on.”
Birchley will be cheering the mares on from Canterbury where he has Harlequin’s Gold running in the Canterbury BMW Inglis Bonus (1200m).
Victorian Power O’Raylee will be an interesting runner in the Rohrig Construction Open Handicap (1200m).
The staying mare is a rare off season Brisbane runner for trainer Peter Moody who was born and raised in Queensland.
The lightly-raced five-year-old struck a purple patch of form in Melbourne during the summer when she strung together five victories before her streak ended in the Mornington Cup.
Although she is not a noted first-up performer, Power O’Raylee is vying for favouritism at $3.60 along with Skating On Ice with The Sixties just shading that pair at $3.50.
