Queensland trainer Liam Birchley is expecting frontrunner Court Command to thrive when he steps up in distance for the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick.The six-year-old comes into Saturday's 1600-metre Group Two race after running fifth to Trusting in the Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 22.Court Commander jumped from barrier seven in the Warwick Stakes and had to work hard to cross Dreamscape and Voice Commander.He led at the 400 metres but was overhauled in the run home.Court Command

Queensland trainer Liam Birchley is expecting frontrunner Court Command to thrive when he steps up in distance for the Chelmsford Stakes at Randwick.

The six-year-old comes into Saturday's 1600-metre Group Two race after running fifth to Trusting in the Warwick Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on August 22.

Court Commander jumped from barrier seven in the Warwick Stakes and had to work hard to cross Dreamscape and Voice Commander.

He led at the 400 metres but was overhauled in the run home.

Court Command jumps from gate three in the Chelmsford and Birchley is expecting a slower tempo to result in a significant improvement from the bay.

"He should go a lot better," Birchley said.

"He's no good when he has to be forced, you have to let it happen with him and he gets rolling his way and he should get that chance in this race."

The Chelmsford is the longest assignment Court Command has been set since joining Birchley's stable.

"There's no doubts about him running the trip," Birchley said.

Prior to the Warwick Stakes, Court Command led all the way at his first start since his unplaced effort in the Group One Stradbroke Handicap in June to score by 3-1/4 lengths from Sommersea Drive over 1300 metres at Eagle Farm on August 12.

The stallion came out of retirement for a winter carnival campaign after serving a season at part-owner Gary Turkington's Wattle Brae Stud near Toowoomba and lived up to expectations when he won the Group Three BTC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben in May.

Wet tracks ruined Court Command's chances in the Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap which prompted Turkington and his fellow owners to target the spring races in Sydney and Melbourne before returning him to stud duties next year.

As a three-year-old Court Command won three Group races including the Group Two Stan Fox Stakes (1400m) at Randwick and Group Three Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill which earned him favouritism for the 2006 Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) where he was third to Wonderful World.

Court Command's early career was with Newcastle trainer Darren Smith but it was disrupted by the equine influenza outbreak in 2007 before he was eventually retired to Wattle Brae Stud.

He covered 109 mares with a 92 per cent fertility rate in his first season before Turkington decided to give Court Command a chance to win a Group One and sent him to Birchley.

Birchley is expecting further improvement from Court Command after Saturday.

"He'll be fitter for his next run in the George Main and that will determine if he runs in the Epsom," Birchley said.

The Group One George Main Stakes (1600m) is at Randwick on September 26 while the Epsom over the same trip is a week later at the same venue.

"I don't think the Epsom is the sort of race that really suits him being a handicap but if he's coping with the mile (1600m) really well, he will be in great condition to run a good race," Birchley said.

TAB Sportsbet has Warwick Stakes runner-up O'Lonhro as $2.50 favourite for the Chelmsford with Court Command the second pick at $4.60 ahead of Triple Honour ($5).