Trainer Chris Waller acknowledges the significant challenge that awaits Birdman when he goes head-to-head with Sheza Alibi at Caulfield.
Birdman and Sheza Alibi are scheduled to compete in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) this Saturday, and based on their official ratings, Waller concedes that Sheza Alibi holds an advantage over Birdman.
However, a key factor favouring Birdman is that the gelding has prior experience racing over 2000m, whereas the mare Sheza Alibi, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, has not yet competed beyond 1600m.
Peter Moody has expressed a strong desire to test Sheza Alibi over the 2000m distance, despite her primary target race for this campaign being The Golden Eagle at Randwick on October 31, which is contested over 1500m.
Moody believes that contesting the 2000m race will open up more strategic options for Sheza Alibi in the subsequent year and leading into her five-year-old racing season.
Chris Waller had Birdman at Caulfield on Tuesday morning to undertake a gallop as part of his preparations for Saturday’s event, a routine he also followed before the gelding secured victory in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 19.
The renowned trainer indicated that he wasn’t overly focused on the prospect of Birdman defeating 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.”
In securing the Underwood Stakes, Birdman outperformed Cosmic Crusader, who subsequently reinforced that form by winning the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday.
Birdman has a proven record over 2000m, having won twice at the distance, and the gelding is now demonstrating a consistent level of performance.
Waller attributes this improvement to Birdman’s increased 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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