Jockey Ben Melham will be shooting for another Australian Cup after Birdman confirmed his chances with an easy win at Caulfield.
Melham will partner the Chris Waller-trained galloper in the Flemington feature on March 28 after guiding the Irish-bred import to victory in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) on Saturday.
Birdman ($3.30) scored a 1-¾ length victory in the traditional Australian Cup lead-up from Apulia ($11) with Bankers Choice ($41) a half-head away third.
Melham won back-to-back Australian Cups (2000m) aboard the Godolphin galloper Cascadian in 2023 and 2024 and believes Birdman has the right credentials to supply him with another victory in the 2000m contest at Flemington.
“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 came to Australia having raced over 2400m and further in Ireland, but Waller has transformed the gelding this campaign to being a bit sharper.
And Melham said that may be the case with the gelding having more speed and may he be better when kept a fraction on the fresh side.
“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.”
