Liam Birchley is hopeful Paprika can deliver an overdue home town victory and the trainer's first Group One success when the three-year-old bids to become the first filly to win the Doomben 10,000 on Saturday.Former star Falvelon was the last Queensland-trained sprinter to win the Doomben 10,000 when he completed back-to-back wins in 2001-02.However, since the race was first run 77 years ago no filly has won the Doomben 10,000 while 18 fillies have tried and failed to win the sprint since it was
Liam Birchley is hopeful Paprika can deliver an overdue home town victory and the trainer's first Group One success when the three-year-old bids to become the first filly to win the Doomben 10,000 on Saturday.
Former star Falvelon was the last Queensland-trained sprinter to win the Doomben 10,000 when he completed back-to-back wins in 2001-02.
However, since the race was first run 77 years ago no filly has won the Doomben 10,000 while 18 fillies have tried and failed to win the sprint since it was transferred to weight-for-age in 1997.
The Gerald Ryan-trained Melito will also be trying to rewrite the history books for fillies in the 1350-metre feature.
In recent times, five fillies have been placed in the Doomben 10,000 beginning with the Lee Freedman-trained Bint Marscay who ran third to Flitter in 1994.
She was followed by Staging who was runner-up in 1998 while Private Steer also finished second in 2003 before Queensland's Street Smart finished third in 2006.
Glamour filly Gold Edition was also the bridesmaid in 2007.
Birchley's confidence with Paprika has grown following a precautionary blood count taken from the filly on Tuesday.
Paprika bounced back to form with a brilliant win at Doomben last Saturday.
Her victory came as no surprise to Birchley who discovered she was suffering from a low-grade virus the day she failed badly at her previous start in the Group Three Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) on May 8.
Birchley initially feared Paprika had a recurrence of the heart arrhythmia she suffered when she finished last in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington in October.
"We found she had a low-grade virus after her Gold Coast run so I got her blood count taken again on Tuesday," Birchley said.
"Everything came back fine and I couldn't be any happier with her."
Birchley had his wish granted for a good alley in the Doomben 10,000 when Paprika drew gate six at Wednesday's barrier draw.
"I wanted a barrier from one to five and I got six but she comes into five if the emergencies don't run," he said.
"That will be perfect for her."
Birchley hasn't had to do much with Paprika on the training track this week following her Doomben triumph and is confident she will acquit herself well at the elite level.
"It's a big step up to Group One but her sectionals against the open company sprinters last start justify her running," he said.
"She gets her chance from the good gate."
Birchley has never won a Group One and rated Sister Havana's victory in the Listed Karaka Millions at Ellerslie in January as among his career highlights.
"I've been placed a few times in Group Ones with Sir Breakfast and Vietnam but Sister Havana's win in New Zealand was special," he said.
Glen Colless, who won the Doomben 10,000 ten years ago on Mr. Innocent, will ride Paprika after last week's winning rider, Stathi Katsidis, had a prior booking for another Queenslander, Phelan Ready.