Saturday Summary: Birdman flies late to pounce on Jenni and win the Doomben Cup

Cover image courtesy of Trackside Photography

Waller gets his 200th Group 1 win with Birdman in the Doomben Cup

The Chris Waller-trained import Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) continued his outstanding campaign with a dominant victory in the G1 Doomben Cup, delivering Waller his milestone 200th Group 1 success in the process.

The talented gelding had been building towards another elite-level win after already claiming both the G2 Peter Young Stakes and G2 Blamey Stakes this preparation, and he produced a scintillating performance to add a deserved Group 1 to his résumé.

As expected, Declan Bates ensured the race was run on Pride Of Jenni’s (Pride Of Dubai) terms, with the star mare establishing a huge lead at various stages throughout the contest. Bates was hard at work approaching the 600 metres as the field started to close, but Birdman, who had settled second last, began winding up powerfully under James McDonald.

At the 200-metre mark the imported gelding loomed ominously before surging clear to score by a widening two and a half lengths. Pride Of Jenni was as brave as ever in defeat, while Vauban (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) charged home strongly to finish just under a length behind the runner-up. Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) worked home fairly into fourth.

Waller admitted Pride Of Jenni had often proven a thorn in his side and was delighted to finally turn the tables.

“I don’t beat her very often,” Waller said.

“She’s beaten Via Sistina, she has beaten Fangirl, she has beaten a lot of our better horses. She has been my nightmare.”

The victory also carried significant emotional weight for the stable, with Waller paying tribute to Birdman’s late owner and close friend Mark Timms, who passed away in March.

“We lost a good friend, Mark Timms, six weeks ago,” Waller said.

“He was in the horse, and his wife Leah is here today. He was a beautiful man, so it’s a pretty touching win. I wish Timms was here, it’s as simple as that.”

An emotional Waller then handed over to McDonald, who has partnered the champion trainer for 50 of those 200 Group 1 victories.

“He’s an absolute master and it’s a privilege to be part of this team,” McDonald said.

“How he preps these horses is just incredible. He deserves all the accolades he gets and the records he breaks because he’s a once-in-a-generation sort of trainer and we’re lucky to be in his bubble.”

Sales: Birdman was privately purchased by Matt Becker of Group 1 Bloodstock alongside Ozzie Kheir after showing some promising early form in Ireland.

Pedigree: Birdman is one of three winners out of Carol (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), who was a winner over a mile. She comes from a strong international family with classy performers including the dual Group 3-winning stallion Elusive Pimpernel (USA) and champion filly Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab {USA}), who won six Group 1 races around the world.

Fireball Miss sets the turf alight

The Ciaron Maher and Bennett Racing combination has already enjoyed major success through elite performers such as dual Group 1 winner Southport Tycoon and Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}), and they added another Group winner to the growing tally as the well-bred Fireball Miss (Bivouac) produced a dazzling display to claim the G2 The Roses at Doomben in the hands of Declan Bates.

It was a muddlingly run affair. There was early pressure as Jason Collett was forced to work the Kiwi filly Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) across from a wide draw to find the lead, but once positions were established the tempo eased considerably.

Probability Theory (Microphone), ridden by Rachel King, settled outside the leader in second, while Fireball Miss enjoyed the perfect one-one run. Race favourite Chispa (NZ) (Savabeel) settled well back in the field amongst runners.

Single Red kicked strongly turning for home, but Bates angled Fireball Miss to the inside and the filly quickly let down with a sharp turn of foot, bursting clear to score by just under a length and a half.

Chispa produced an excellent late effort after James McDonald threaded through traffic to grab second, while Grand Omaha (Omaha Beach {USA}) was solid in third and Single Red fought on honestly for fourth.

Winning trainer Ciaron Maher said the filly had thrived since relocating north for the Queensland carnival.

“This filly, she’s thrived since coming up here to Queensland,” Maher said.

“She stays at Tony Gollan’s yard and I can’t thank him and his team enough. She’s just thrived here. It’s fantastic. She’s in really good order and she’s improved every run. It was a beautiful ride by Dec.”

Maher said the filly would now press on towards the Queensland Oaks.

“She’ll go on to the Oaks now and she’ll be a very good chance. I love coming up here to Queensland. It’s fantastic and great to have another Group 1 chance.”

Bates explained the race unfolded ideally after Fireball Miss began cleanly and secured a forward position.

“When she began a lot cleaner today, I was happy just to roll up and probably wasn’t going to be that close, but Mark wanted the hole one off the fence beside me, which probably forced me to keep going.

“But the way it ended up being run, it was probably ideal really because it was a bit of a muddy old race and I was well positioned.

“When the three-wide line came around me I thought it could end up tricky, but there were a lot of runs coming and that injected the pace into it early enough. I was able to get plenty of room and we needed it, and she was really good.”

Sales: Fireball Miss was purchased for $140,000 by Bennett Racing from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2024 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Fireball Miss is out of the seven-time winner and Listed-placed Femme Fireball (Pierro). Alongside Fireball Miss, she has had only one other runner - the G1 South Australian Derby winner Femminile (Dundeel {NZ}), so she is now two runners for two stakes winners.

Femme Fireball is also well related, being a full sister to the dual Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Rock (Pierro). Femme Fireball was sold at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale last year for $900,000 to Boomer Bloodstock (FBAA) and Paul Willetts Bloodstock and is now with Three Bridges Thoroughbreds.

In recent seasons Femme Fireball has left a 2-year-old filly named Fiamina (Pinatubo {Ire}), a yearling filly by So You Think (NZ), and a weanling filly by Anamoe.

Abounding gets the bob when it counts

In a thrilling photo finish, it was the Robert Heathcote-trained Abounding (Rich Enuff) who prevailed in the G3 BRC Sprint at Doomben, just a week after being scratched from the G1 Doomben 10,000 due to an elevated temperature - the same race won by her stablemate Rothfire (Rothesay).

The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) rolled forward to lead, with Willaidow (Shamus Award) positioned on his outside. Despite the quality of the field, the race was run at only a moderate tempo, turning the contest into a sharp sprint home.

The Inflictor kicked strongly turning for home, but at the 200-metre mark Willaidow, Harry’s Yacht (Harry Angel {Ire}) and Abounding all loomed as winning hopes. Under Tim Clark, Abounding appeared to have the race in her keeping, but Cifrado (Encryption) stormed home late for Tom Sherry and looked to have possibly snatched victory right on the line.

However, the photo finish went the way of Abounding, who held on narrowly from Cifrado, with Harry’s Yacht close up in third in a terrific finish.

Stable representative Ollie Peoples said the mare had gone into the race in excellent order.

“Tim (Clark) sat on her once when she was a 2-year-old, unfortunately Vlad couldn’t ride today after picking up a bit of an injury earlier on,” Peoples said.

“I’m glad I got to have a chat to Tim earlier and told him she’s finally drawn a gate and she’s going so well.”

Peoples said the stable felt the mare was back to her best form.

“We think she’s going as good as she was in the spring and she just needs cover.”

“As long as he cuddles her, she’s going to be strong and we were very confident going into today. It was a bit like last week — we couldn’t believe the odds.”

He added the mare was continuing to improve with maturity.

“She’s furnished into a lovely mare. I think she’s coming into career-best form and getting better with age.

“I think the Tatts Tiara is on the way too for another crack. She’s going great and congratulations to all the owners. They’re such great supporters of our stable and we love training for them.”

Clark acknowledged Vlad Duric after picking up the ride.

“Obviously I feel for Vlad,” Clark said. “He came and saw me and gave this mare a really good push, so I’ve got to thank him for that.”

Clark said the good draw proved crucial.

“She’s been running well and from a good draw she was able to get a good run throughout.”

“I was a bit held up before the turn but she’s got a good sharp dash and I was sort of holding on to her as long as I could. When I pushed the button she just quickened up really nicely and thankfully got her nose down on the line.”

Sales: Abounding was purchased for $75,000 by First Light Racing and Robert Heathcote Racing from the Telemon Thoroughbreds draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2.

Pedigree: Abounding is one of 10 stakes winners for Rich Enuff, and is the fifth foal and fourth winner for Transonic (Casino Prince) who ran third in the G2 Wakeful S. and won four races. Transonic is a daughter of Group 1-placed Jet Past (SAf) (Jet Master {SAf}). This win was the fifth stakes win for Abounding with her best victory coming in the G2 Tristarc Stakes.

Transonic, in recent years, has produced a 2-year-old colt by Russian Camelot (Ire) and a weanling colt by Red Resistance, before she was served by Red Resistance again last spring.

Pinito picks up another stakes win at Doomben

The Godolphin-raced Pinito (Trapeze Artist) added another black-type victory to her growing résumé when taking out the G3 Magic Millions Fillies and Mares Mile at Doomben on Saturday.

Already a winner of the G3 Aspiration Quality Handicap and the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet, the talented mare continued her strong campaign with another determined performance.

There was plenty of early tempo as roughie Aratiri (Grunt {NZ}) rolled forward to lead, with Exotique Miss (Under The Louvre) sitting outside the leader and ensuring the pressure remained on throughout. The Bjorn Baker-trained Our Queen (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) enjoyed a soft run in the trail under Ben Thompson, while James McDonald had the Chris Waller-trained Pinito settled quietly in fifth on the inside following Thompson throughout.

As the field turned for home, the leaders quickly came under pressure. Thompson elected to take the inferior inside ground aboard Our Queen, while McDonald managed to ease Pinito away from heels and build momentum wider out.

At the 200-metre mark there were still several winning chances, but McDonald’s timing proved decisive as Pinito charged through late to secure victory from the strong finishing Hyperbolic (NZ) (Proisir) and Pippie Beach (Maurice {Jpn}) in a busy finish. Our Queen was brave in fourth considering the inside ground she had to make her run on.

Winning trainer Chris Waller was quick to acknowledge the support of Godolphin.

“Godolphin have been terrific supporters of a lot of trainers over the past year and I’ve been a benefactor of that,” Waller said.

“They’re a great team to work with and they appreciate black-type results.”

Waller also hinted there could be another Brisbane target on the horizon.

“There’s a fantastic series of races up here and they’ll get better horses as a result. I think there’s a $500,000 race in two weeks’ time, maybe the same distance over the road at Eagle Farm.”

McDonald said the mare’s class was evident heading into the race.

“She’s a good horse. Obviously running second in the Oaks this time last year, so she’s no slouch,” McDonald said.

“The writing was on the wall, so to speak, because she was the well-performed horse coming into this race.”

Sales: Pinito was purchased for $260,000 by Godolphin from the Widden Stud draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree: Pinito is the second foal out of Waltzing Wodka (Sebring) who was a dual winner on the track. Waltzing Wodka is very well-bred being a full-sister to the Group 2 winners Seaburge and Catch A Fire and a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Zloties (Snitzel). This is the extended family of the G1 Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss (Not A Single Doubt).

After producing Pinito, Waltzing Wodka has for her breeder Bert Vieira left the three-time winner Michelangelo (Trapeze Artist), along with yearling and weanling fillies both by Trapeze Artist, before she died in October last year.