Champion jockey Darren Beadman has expressed his admiration for trainer Chris Waller following Birdman’s impressive victory at Caulfield.
Birdman secured his second Group 1 triumph by winning the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday, a performance that saw him firm into second favouritism for the Cox Plate (2000m) at Flemington on October 24.
Waller has meticulously guided Birdman through his career, with the gelding’s previous top-level success coming in the Doomben Cup (2000m) back in May.
The Cox Plate now beckons after Birdman produced a sweeping run to claim the prize on Saturday.
With Ben Melham in the saddle, Birdman ($6) comfortably outpaced the $2.25 favourite Cosmic Crusader, winning by 1-¾ lengths. The outsider Attrition ($101) finished a further 2-¼ lengths adrift in third.
Birdman had impressed the Waller stable with his initial run, a sixth place in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.
Although Birdman was entered for the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday, Waller opted to delay his next start by a week, opting instead for 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.”
Having been beaten earlier in the year in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington, Beadman believes Birdman is now a more formidable competitor.
“The 2000 metres at Flemington looks made to order in a sense,” Beadman remarked.
“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 boasts an impressive record in the Cox Plate, having won six of the last eleven renewals.
Beadman indicated that the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3 is Birdman’s probable next engagement.
Melham commented that Birdman had been a revelation during his recent 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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