Former champion jockey Darren Beadman has expressed his profound admiration for trainer Chris Waller following Birdman’s commanding victory at Caulfield.
Birdman achieved his second Group 1 success when he triumphed in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday. This outstanding performance has resulted in the galloper shortening to become the second favourite for the Cox Plate (2000m) at Flemington on October 24.
Chris Waller has expertly guided Birdman through his racing grades, and the gelding had not previously won at the highest level until his victory in the Doomben Cup (2000m) in May.
Now, the Cox Plate awaits after Birdman circled the field to claim the prize on Saturday.
Ridden by Ben Melham, Birdman ($6) comfortably passed the $2.25 favourite Cosmic Crusader to secure a 1-¾ length win, with the outsider Attrition ($101) finishing a further 2-¼ lengths back in third.
Birdman had pleased the Waller team with his first-up run, a sixth placing in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.
The gelding was an acceptor for the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday, but Waller chose to hold Birdman back an extra week, instead giving the gelding a 1000m jump-out at Flemington the previous week.
“Chris just gets the timing perfectly right when it comes to placing these horses, knowing when to put the acid on them,” Beadman stated.
“He ran in a nice lead-up race in the Memsie, into this, and before Ben went out, he said they are going to pair up very quickly.
“He said ‘I could be box set’, but he backed his judgement, got on the back of Willie Pike (Cosmic Crusader). He dragged him into the race perfectly.
“He was the fresh horse on the scene. He stood up to be counted today and it was a great ride by Benny and a great effort by the Melbourne staff.”
Beadman mentioned that Birdman, who was beaten earlier in the year in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington, is now a more formidable competitor.
“The 2000 metres at Flemington looks made to order in a sense,” Beadman commented.
“I think he’s a better mile-and-a-quarter horse than he is a 2400-metre horse.
“Keep the freshness in his legs and he’s got that acceleration. We’ll leave that to the master trainer. He’s been there plenty of time and he knows what it takes.”
Waller is no stranger to Cox Plate success, having won six of the last eleven renewals of the race.
Beadman indicated that the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3 is Birdman’s likely next assignment.
Melham described Birdman as a revelation during his last campaign.
“He really found his niche last time in and put the writing on the wall first-up,” Melham said.
“I gave him a squeeze just to pick him up and he picked him up quickly. He got there too soon and it’s not his go as he had a good look around, but he won with a bit in hand, so I think he’s a good 2000-metre horse now.
“He’s in the right barn, they know what they’re doing with him, and they’ve got him flying.”
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