Real Princess and Crack Me Up have earned $400,000 during the summer without winning
Real Princess and Crack Me Up have earned $400,000 during the summer without winning but a sharp drop in class gives them a chance to change that at the Sunshine Coast.
Real Princess will run in Saturday’s $125,000 Sunshine Coast Two-Year-Old Classic and Crack Me Up is topweight in a three-year-old handicap (1600m).
Trainer Liam Birchley, who is in New Zealand preparing Ameridon for Sunday’s Karaka Million, directed the pair’s summer to the Magic Millions Two-Year-Old Classic (Real Princess) and the Magic Millions Guineas (Crack Me Up).
Real Princess finished eighth in the Classic but picked up $325,000 as the first horse home owned by an all-female syndicate.
“I was never so glad to run eighth. But she hasn’t had a lot of luck this time in and there is a big QTIS bonus and also a fillies bonus on the Sunshine Coast race,” Birchley said.
“It would be nice for her to win one this summer. There are a couple of smart horses in the race but even minor place money is good.”
Crack Me Up ran second to the now-retired Winning Rupert last month and wasn’t disgraced when 10th in the Magic Millions Guineas.
“I wanted to give him another shot at 1600 metres,” Birchley said.
“This is a big drop in class and Damian Browne will ride him.”
The Eagle Farm trainer will again be active at next week’s Karaka Sale. Birchley has won more than 20 races with graduates of the sale in recent years.
