After Birdman’s effortless victory at Caulfield, jockey Ben Melham targets another Australian Cup conquest.
Melham will join forces with Chris Waller’s Irish import for the March 28 Flemington spectacle, having ridden the horse to the top in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.
Birdman ($3.30) notched a 1-¾ length win in the established Australian Cup pathfinder, beating Apulia ($11) with Bankers Choice ($41) half a head adrift in third.
The rider claimed successive Australian Cups (2000m) on Cascadian for Godolphin in 2023 and 2024, viewing Birdman as equipped for another Flemington 2000m success.
“I’ve had a bit to do with him early doors this preparation and the way he was going he was heading in the right direction to be competitive in an Australian Cup,” Melham said.
“And the more I have to do with him the more I think he can win it.
“He’s been a bit of a revelation the horse.
“He’s in the right stable and might have taken a bit of time to acclimatise, but he’s a very relaxed customer.
“He takes a bit of waking up but the ability is certainly there.”
Birdman, who tackled 2400m and longer in Ireland upon arrival, has been sharpened up by Waller over this preparation.
Melham suggested the gelding’s increased speed could make him ideal fresh for the mile-and-a-half.
“I don’t think the run will have hurt him at all,” Melham said.
“He just got into a lovely position, didn’t sort of spend any pennies until the last 250 metres and I felt he had the race at his mercy a long way out.
“He seems to be going really well at these shorter trips. He’ll be no worries at 2000 (metres), but maybe that’s the way to go with him, a bit of freshness in his legs, but I’ll leave that to the expert.”
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