Skybird wins Gilgai Stakes in thrilling Flemington finish

Depending on when you are reading this, trainer Mitchell Freedman and favourite backers may only just have exhaled as a unique characteristic nearly brought Skybird undone in the Gilgai Stakes at Flemington.

Sent out the $2.90 market elect, Skybird looked set for an easy victory as jockey Ben Melham eased six-year-old mare down within metres from the line while  visiting Perth jockey Austin Galati and $6 chance Smooth Chino make late ground strongly to miss by a short-half-head margin.

"She's got a big handbrake on her and when you stop, she stops," Freedman said. 

"I think we were pretty lucky that the visiting rider mistimed the winning post a little bit there otherwise he might have got over the top of us.

"Anyway, we'll take the win. We're relieved and we're happy to get the win. 

Skybird broke a 19-month drought in the winners' circle since her last win in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in February 2025.

"She was well placed by the team and they've done a great john prepping her up off the back of the Queensland campaign and we're thrilled to get back in the winners' circle with her because she's had a fair few hard luck stories since that Lightning Stakes win," Freedman added.

The ultimate aim for Skybird is the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival but the path in between this race and then is still undecided.

"We'd love to see her in the Champions Sprint," Freedman said. 

"What we do now, we might head up to Sydney in a couple of weeks' time. There's some good money there to chase, otherwise we might see her on Cox Plate Day here back in trip. Plenty of options for her."

Stewards charged Melham with failing to ride his mount out to the end of the race for which the 25-time Group 1 winning jockey pleaded guilty. He was fined $2,000.

"She's a very good sprinter on her day but she needs a few things in her favour," Freedman concluded. 

"When she can get the run like that cuddled up, she's got an electric turn-of-foot but don't stop riding her."