Darren Beadman, a former champion jockey, has voiced his admiration for trainer Chris Waller following Birdman’s significant victory at Caulfield.

Birdman achieved his second Group 1 win by taking out the Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday. This triumph has seen the gelding shorten to become the second favourite for the Cox Plate (2000m), which is set to take place at Flemington on October 24.

Chris Waller has expertly guided Birdman through his racing grades. The gelding had not previously won at the elite level until his triumph in the Doomben Cup (2000m) in May.

With Birdman’s commanding performance circling the field to claim the prize on Saturday, the Cox Plate now looms large.

Ridden by Ben Melham, Birdman ($6) comfortably ran past the $2.25 favourite Cosmic Crusader to record a 1-¾ length victory. The outsider Attrition ($101) finished a further 2-¼ lengths behind in third.

Birdman had impressed the Waller team during his first-up run, finishing sixth in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29.

Although the gelding was entered for the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday, Waller opted to keep Birdman back for another week, instead giving him 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 remarked.

“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 noted that Birdman, who was beaten earlier in the year in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington, is now a stronger competitor.

“The 2000 metres at Flemington looks made to order in a sense,” Beadman stated.

“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 has a strong history of success in the Cox Plate, having won six of the last eleven editions.

Beadman indicated that the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 3 is likely to be Birdman’s next start.

Melham commented that Birdman has been a revelation in 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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