Multiple stakes winner Crack Me Up has had a solid trial as he prepares for his first start in more than a year.
Crack Me Up is topweight for Saturday’s Group Three George Moore Stakes (1200m) at Doomben where he will be ridden for the first time by Ryan Maloney.
The gelding has been shunted between trainers in recent years but has continued to perform well.
Crack Me Up was trained for most of his career by Liam Birchley who was caught up in a complicated scenario when he appealed a disqualification arising out of the Aquanita affair.
He was allowed to train in Queensland and Victoria but not NSW.
Birchley trained Crack Me Up to win the 2017 Villiers at Randwick but when the NSW ban was in place, Bjorn Baker had the gelding for a win in the 2018 Group Three Liverpool City Cup also at Randwick.
Crack Me Up went back to Birchley for a Melbourne campaign in the 2018 spring and the gelding has not started since being unplaced at Caulfield on October 20 last year.
Crack Me Up missed the autumn and winter with injury problems.
Birchley has since successfully appealed his ban but decided to step aside from training to concentrate on his Archer Park thoroughbred complex.
Most of his horses have been divided between trainers Toby Edmonds and Chris Munce.
Edmonds has Crack Me Up and is aiming him at the Magic Millions Cup on January 11.
“He came to us from Liam in great condition. His trial was good and he is ready race,” Edmonds said.
“He isn’t a noted first up horse and they might be a bit slick for him at 1200 metres but he should go well.”
