Trainer Liam Birchley has one reservation about Syn City continuing his dream run with two-year-olds at Doomben.
Birchley has had nine individual juvenile winners this season including the Karaka Million winner Hardline and the Magic Millions runner-up Pepperano.
Syn City will be one of the favourites in Saturday’s Coca Cola Amatil Handicap after a last-start second in a similar race behind Redsson at Doomben three weeks ago.
“If it was 1000 metres I would say she would be very hard to beat but the 1050 has me a little worried. That last 50 metres might be a test,” Birchley said.
The filly is already a winner, having taken out the first two-year-old race of the season at Toowoomba in September.
She had a trip to Melbourne last year for an unplaced run at Moonee Valley and has had three starts since a spell.
Birchley said Syn City was no champion but looked nicely placed from a good barrier after a 2kg claim for apprentice Travis Wolfgram.
Syn City, a $35,000 yearling, has won the most prize money of any runner in Saturday’s race but with Wolfgram’s claim gets in 1.5kg over the limit.
Birchley also believes Pop `N’ Scotch can hit top form in the Coca Cola Life Handicap.
Pop `N’ Scotch, who was originally raced by Patinack Farm, will be having his fourth start for Birchley.
“I think you will see a very nice horse on Saturday,” Birchley said.
“He has been working his way to top form and I really liked the way he fought back to get second after being headed at his last start.”
Birchley said the new-look Brisbane winter carnival might push him into changing his original plans with Pop `N’ Scotch.
“We were looking at the Brisbane Cup but it is over 2200 metres at Doomben this year,” he said.
“It means we might go to races such as the Caloundra Cup and Grafton Cup because they are 2400 metres.”
Pop `N’ Scotch showed he was up to at least stakes class when second in last year’s Queensland Cup over 3200m.
