Birdman Wins Peter Young Stakes, Australian Cup Now in Sights

Birdman's comfortable 1¾-length victory in the Group 2 Sportsbet Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield has done more than add another Group 2 to his record. It has positioned the Chris Waller-trained Irish import as a genuine threat to the $2 million Group 1 VRC Australian Cup at Flemington on March 28, where bookmakers have already installed him as $4 second favourite behind Tom Kitten at $3.50.

Ridden by Ben Melham and sent out at $3.30, the Free Eagle gelding settled beautifully before asserting in the closing stages of the 1800m contest. Perth Cup winner Apulia ($11) finished second, with the $41 roughie Bankers Choice a half-head further back in third. The hot favourite Buckaroo, who had come into the race fresh off a missed run in the All-Star Mile and started at $2.35, took up a forward position but could not sustain his effort, finishing fifth some six lengths from the winner. Early leader Light Infantry Man ($4.20) also tired in the home straight.

Melham was unambiguous about where this performance leaves Birdman heading into the Australian Cup. "I've had a bit to do with him this preparation and I thought early doors the way he was going he was heading in the right direction to be really competitive in an Australian Cup and the more I have to do with him, the more I think he can win it," the jockey said.

The win was Birdman's second consecutive Group 2 success, following his victory in the Blamey Stakes over 1600m at his previous start. That back-to-back sequence has been the product of a deliberate campaign recalibration from Waller, who has steered the gelding away from the staying distances he contested in Ireland, where he debuted over 2400m two years ago, and toward sharper, shorter trips in Australia.

Melham described the transformation as striking. "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."

In the Peter Young itself, Melham barely had to ask a question of his mount until deep in the straight. "I don't think the run will have hurt him at all. 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."

The step up to 2000m for the Australian Cup holds no concerns for Melham, though he hinted the horse's optimal preparation may involve keeping him relatively fresh. "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."

Melham arrives at the Australian Cup carrying his own weight of expectation in the race. He rode Godolphin's Cascadian to back-to-back Australian Cup victories in 2023 and 2024, and now believes a third winner in the race is within reach aboard a horse still finding the ceiling of his ability in Australia.