Hit and run missions in Perth have been somewhat the making of Overpass, who has won thrice at Ascot, collecting the first two editions of The Quokka (1200m) and last year’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), a crown he’ll attempt to defend on Saturday.
The six-year-old gelding has won over $5 million in prize money in three Perth trips, more than half of his total purse, and the Bjorn Baker stable believe he’s perfectly on track to continue his winning record after a disappointing eighth in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington.
“I think he’s better. We thought he was better first-up and that he’d improved again going to the Champions Sprint. He just doesn’t go down the straight as well as he goes around the bends,” racing manager Luke Hilton said.
Overpass’ 1-½ length win first up in the Group 3 Sydney Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, running a near identical time to Bella Nipotina in The Everest (1200m) said he was at his best, and the stable believe he’ll be far better suited back around a bend.
“When you look at the race, the way it panned out, you had Sunshine In Paris only two lengths off him, whereas around a bend race, she’d be five and six lengths off him,” Hilton said.
“He loves Perth. He has done it so many times now and I’m confident he will bounce back. I think he’s better than he was twelve months ago.”
Overpass, the $2.80 favourite, will once again be ridden by Josh Parr, who has been aboard for all of the gelding’s Perth wins, but they will have to overcome the widest barrier with the pair drawing barrier 16 of 16, although double digit barriers have provided the past six Winterbottom winners.