Liam Birchley

Liam Birchley is a Brisbane boy who was much travelled before settling back in the north to become one of the state's best trainers. After studying animal husbandry and production at a Longreach agricultural college he caught the racing bug during on-the-job training at Turangga Stud in the N SW Hunter Valley. He went on to work in New Zealand before he went to Brian Mayfield-Smith at Rosehill. Birchley then worked with Michael Stoute, one of the leading English trainers and had a stint with Neil Drysdale's stable in California. Birchley tried his luck in Sydney but then returned home to run Bill Mitchell's Brisbane stable.

Since branching out on his own, Birchley's winners include: Karaka Millions (Sister Havana), Inglis Classic (Fear No Other), BTC Sprint (Court Command), QTC Cup (Sir Breakfast), Dane Ripper Stakes (Vietnam), Doomben Classic (Pepperwood), Brisbane Bloodstock Stakes (Fear No Other), MacDougall Stakes (Paprika), Starlet Stakes (Paprika), Ramornie Handicap (Sir Breakfast), Classic Mile (Rags to Riches), QTC Lightning (Devil Inside, Helter Skelter), Sporting Wheelies Cup (Vietnam), Magic Millions Sprint (Helter Skelter), Bat Out of Hell (Helter Skelter), ITC Dash (Sir Mukafast), Queensland Events Stakes (Never Said A Word), Golden Stakes (Sir Success) and Earlwood Stakes (The Wreck).