Chris Waller, the trainer of Birdman, is fully cognizant of the task ahead as his gelding prepares to face Sheza Alibi at Caulfield.
The Group 1 Might And Power Stakes, a 2000m race at Caulfield this Saturday, is where Birdman and Sheza Alibi are set to clash. Waller has indicated that, based on official ratings, Sheza Alibi appears to have the measure of Birdman.
However, a significant factor in Birdman’s favour is that the gelding has prior experience over the 2000m distance. In contrast, the mare Sheza Alibi, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, has yet to compete beyond 1600m.
Peter Moody has been keen to test Sheza Alibi over 2000m, even though her primary target for this racing season is The Golden Eagle at Randwick on October 31, a race contested over 1500m.
Moody believes that a run over 2000m will open up more strategic options for Sheza Alibi in the following year and as she progresses into her five-year-old racing career.
Birdman underwent a gallop at Caulfield on Tuesday morning as part of his preparation for Saturday’s race, a routine that Waller also employed prior to Birdman’s victory in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 19.
The champion trainer mentioned that he wasn’t placing too much emphasis on whether Birdman could defeat Sheza Alibi.
“I’m not expecting to beat her easily, or anything like that, but I know our horse runs 2000 metres and with Sheza Alibi, they’ll be hoping she gets 2000 metres,” Waller stated.
“We have to get her to fail, because if she runs to her ratings, we can’t beat her, but over 2000 metres, it gives us our chance. Birdman is in great form. His win the other day was good, and he seems to have come on nicely since that.”
Birdman’s win in the Underwood Stakes saw him defeat Cosmic Crusader, who subsequently validated that form by winning the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Birdman boasts two previous victories over 2000m, and the gelding has finally started to string together a consistent run of performances.
Waller attributes this improvement in consistency to Birdman’s maturity and age.
“He has shown that he is a good horse and he’s doing it at Group 1 level and watching him the other day, it was pretty good to see,” Waller commented.
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