Henley Homes Underwood Stakes (Group 1)
THE Irish-bred Birdman has moved to the second line of betting for the Cox Plate, in the wake of his Underwood Stakes win at Caulfield over 1,800 metres on Saturday, his second Group 1 victory.
Ridden by Ben Melham for Chris Waller, the five-year-old Free Eagle gelding was kept away from the early charge with just two of the eight starters behind him in the run. Angled four-wide on the bend, the six-year-old had the race favourite Cosmic Crusader on his inside.
Challenging for the lead, Birdman hit the front 200 metres out and kept finding. Extending his margin, Birdman hit the line two lengths clear of the Maurice gelding Cosmic Crusader with that same margin again to the third-placed Churchill horse Attrition.
“It was very good,” said Melham. “He’s been a revelation this horse. He really found his niche last time in and put the writing on the wall first up (sixth in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes), it was a good run.
“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 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.
“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.”
Sportsbet Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (Group 1 Handicap)
IT was ninth-time lucky for Angel Capital in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1,400 metres at Caulfield.
Following eight previous unsuccessful attempts at the elite level, the Chris Waller-trained son of Harry Angel found himself trouble-free at the top of the straight, with jockey Ben Melham able to angle into clear air and showcase his true ability. Powering down the middle of the straight, none could resist Angel Capital’s momentum, catching the leaders just inside the 100m mark to win by a length in Yulong’s emerald green. Second was the Calyx gelding Sepals, ahead of the Ole Kirk gelding Regal Award.
Deserving
“Congratulations to Mr Zhang and the whole Yulong team. They are heavily invested here in Australia,” said Godolphin’s Darren Beadman. “He’s been deserving of the Group 1 win for so many runs.”
Purchased for A$400,000 from the 2023 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale, Angel Capital was bought by Yulong after his 2025 Group 2 Autumn Stakes win. “The ability’s never been the question with him,” said Ben Melham after completing a Group 1 double for Chris Waller.
“He’s a very good colt, as you’ve seen there today, but he’s just so big and he’s such a brute. He’s not an easy horse to ride, but when things go his way, you’ve seen what he can do.”
THE Irish-bred Zahrann brought up a Ciaron Maher treble at Caulfield, following his Group 2 Naturalism Stakes win over 2,000 metres. The win was a maiden Australian victory at the fourth attempt for the Group 3 Royal Whip Stakes winner when trained by Johnny Murtagh. Sent out favourite, the Night Of Thunder horse was back in the field before improving his position and challenging down the middle of the track. Hitting overdrive in the final 100 metres, his acceleration really caught the eye to post an easy length victory over his stablemate, the British-bred Roaring Lion gelding Saint George with the Tavistock gelding Asterix in third.
Markets reacted with Zahrann now a $4.50 favourite for the A$6 million Caulfield Cup with his stablemate the only other in single figures.
Excited
“He gets you excited, that’s for sure,” said jockey Ethan Brown. “It’s what you get out of bed for in the morning. I would like to thank the owners for keeping me on. Ozzie (Kheir) rang me before he got here (from the UK) and said he had a good one and that I had to get on to Ciaron for the ride.
“He was primed today. He had a lovely run in transit. I had to trust the horse, as I knew he had the turn of foot and he proved that today.”
The win cost Zahrann a 0.5 kg penalty for both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, taking his weight to 53kg for the Caulfield Cup and 54.5kg for the Melbourne Cup. Saturday’s Naturalism Stakes also carried a ballot-free entry into the Caulfield Cup.
SUPERSTAR mare Autumn Glow continued on her winning ways on Saturday, taking out the A$1 million Group 2 Sunrise Stakes over 1,600 metres at Randwick.
In a field of five, all Group 1 winners, Autumn Glow, the $1.16 favourite, led through the final turn. Relishing the challenge, they all came at her but none could make an impression.
With just over a length advantage on the line, The Autumn Sun mare defeated her stablemate the Castelvecchio mare Aeliana with the Tavistock gelding Ceolwulf third.
“They came to me, let her balance up and she went away with it,” said jockey James McDonald. “She did what we needed her to do today. She had fun doing it. Ears pricked the whole way.”
Main target
A winner of 13 of her 14 starts, Autumn Glow has banked $9.76 million to date with her main target ahead on Everest day, the $5 million King Charles III Stakes over the Randwick mile.
“I’m pretty happy where she is at,” said Chris Waller. “There is some improvement to come, we haven’t screwed her down yet.” Both Aeliana and Ceolwulf are headed to the Cox Plate, being on the second and fourth line of betting respectively in a market headed by Sir Delius.
FOLLOWING the taking of first acceptances for the A$6 million Caulfield Cup on Tuesday, 57 horses remain in the field for the Group 1 handicap over 2,400 metres on October 17th.
Ciaron Maher holds 14 of those entries, including the first and second favourites, Zahrann and Saint George, whilst Chris Waller holds 12 entries.
Three international trainers remain with horses entered, Roger Varian’s Enfjaar and Harry Charlton’s Wine Dark Sea, whilst Joseph O’Brien has four entries, Kizlyar, Omni Man, Small Fry, Starford.
The Group 2 Alleged Stakes winner Starford is the best fancied locally, currently rated an $18 chance.