Having not started since his first up effort over an unsuitable 1400m in the G1 MRC Memsie Stakes behind stablemate Beiwacht, Chris Waller’s Birdman (IRE) highlighted his Cox Plate potential with a step up in trip to win the $1m G1 MRC Underwood Stakes (1800m).
One of three in the race for the Waller camp, Birdman jumped away well in the market, settling with just two behind in the run as stablemate and noted leader Lindermann went forward.
Fresh from success in the G2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), Lindermann appeared comfortable in his usual role with the grey Kingswood going forward to sit in second with Attrition back in third.
Getting a cosy run in fourth was the race favourite Cosmic Crusader (NZ), and when the field started to up the ante leading into the home turn, it was clear that Lindermann wasn’t going to offer too much fight.
Just as Cosmic Crusader pulled himself four wide to put himself into a challenging position, Ben Melham and Birdman came even wider where it was clear that nothing in the race was travelling better than him.
Hitting the lead at the 200m mark, the gelding was dominant in the run to the line, pulling away from his rival for a length and three-quarter victory.
Cosmic Crusader battled away well to finish second, while the Mill Park graduate Atrrtition showed a return to form to finish third.
Stable rep Darren Beadman was on course to discuss the victory.
“Chris just gets the timing right perfectly when it comes to placing these horses, knowing when to put the acid on them,” said Beadman. “He ran in a nice lead-up race in the Memsie, into this.”
“Before Ben (Melham) went out, he said they are going to pair up very quickly. He said ‘I could be box seat’, 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.”
As for where he heads now, the Cox Plate appears his main aim this time in.
“Two thousand at Flemington looks made to order in a sense,” said Beadman. “I think he’s a better mile-and-a-quarter horse than he is 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.”
Having not ridden him on race day since his fifth in the G1 Australian Cup, Melham was confident in the run.
“It was very good,” said Melham. “He's been a revelation this horse.”
“He really found his niche last time in. Put the writing on the wall first up, it was a good run. He had a trial obviously just to keep him up to the mark and I was a bit worried he felt the ground a little bit, but race day with the blinkers on.
“We had a beautiful trail, we just come off a little bit before the corner when the sprint come on and 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 that he had a good look around, won with a bit in hand so I think he's a good 2,000 metre horse.
“Anyway, he's in the right barn, they know what they're doing with him and he's got him flying. So, credit to the stable and well done to Ozzie and Johnny and all the guys involved with the horse.”
“He's an old gentleman; he's a lovely horse to ride. Makes my job easy when you've got an old gentleman to ride like this.”
With the G1 WS Cox Plate to be run at Flemington this year, the connections of Birdman have it firmly on the radar as he took his record to seven wins and five placed efforts with earnings of $2,407,372.
Bred by Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc, Birdman is the lone stakes winner amongst three winners for the Acclamation mare Carol and comes from the extended family of Champion Filly Snow Fairy (Intikhab), a winner of six individual G1 races.
Birdman is the best of 16 international stakes performers for the High Chaparral stallion Free Eagle (IRE), who shuttled to South Australia’s Cornerstone Stud for three seasons where he covered 171 mares and now stands at Ireland’s Anngrove Stud.
