Saturday Summary: Overpass loves it out west!

Cover image courtesy Western Racepix

Overpass is an honorary West Australian now

In four starts in Perth, Bjorn Baker trained 6-year-old gelding Overpass (Vancouver) has won the 2023 and 2024 The Quokka, and on Saturday he added a second G1 Winterbottom S. to his 2023 title in the race. The win took his record to 10 wins from 29 starts with earnings over $9.7 million.

Overpass always had the race in control, jumping well and sitting in the leading bunch for jockey Joshua Parr before sprinting clear. He drifted a little in the straight once clear but held on to win by 0.79l from Grahame Begg trained 4-year-old gelding Maharba (Pride Of Dubai) with Lou Luciani trained 7-year-old gelding Hot Zed (Red Hot Choice) giving the locals something to cheer about in the trifecta.

Overpass won in 1:08.89 for the 1200 metres, just outside the track record of 1:08. “Today (Saturday) he had to absorb a heap of pressure early, he was super, super brave. A big shout out to Darby Racing and the team at home. I don’t know if we can call him a champion, but he’s getting very close,” said Baker.

“It’s amazing racing, amazing to be here. Very, very grateful. I can’t make my Australian citizenship ceremony on Australia Day as I’ll be in the New Zealand for the sales, so I’ve had to delay it, then I’ll formally become one of us!”

A $75,000 Inglis Scone Yearling purchase for Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock, Overpass is the only Group 1 winner among 11 stakes winners for G1 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver.

Bred and sold by Corumbene Stud, Overpass is out of winning mare Walkway (Exceed And Excel) who has a very Western Australian pedigree, being out of a half-sister to Horse Of The Year Northerly (Serheed {USA}), Group 2 winner North Boy (Rory’s Jester) and Group 3 winner Northern Song (Rory’s Jester). Northerly was bred by bred by Oakland Park Stud in Western Australia and trained in Perth by Fred Kersley to win nine Group 1 races including the G1 WS Cox Plate twice.

Gallery: Images courtesy of Western Racepix

Emotional win for Arapaho’s owners in G2 Zipping Classic

After Zipping (Danehill {USA}) won the G2 Sandown Classic four years in succession from 2007-2010, the race has been named after him, and it’s perhaps fitting that the 2024 version was won by an older horse. Run at Caulfield on Saturday, Bjorn Baker trained 8-year-old gelding Arapaho (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) prevailed for jockey Rachel King by 0.75l from Ciaron Maher trained 8-year-old gelding Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines) with Dan O’Sullivan trained 5-year-old gelding Berkeley Square (Territories {Ire}) 5l back in third.

Rachel King almost didn’t make it to Caulfield after two flights out of Sydney were cancelled due to wet weather. “There were delays in and out of Sydney and we were about three hours late. I had plenty of time to get here for my first couple, but unfortunately, I ended up missing them, but I knew it would be worth it when I got here. I have to say sorry to connections of the first couple, I missed those,” King said.

The win was an emotional one with the funeral for part-owner Paul Griffin earlier in the week after he sadly passed away in November, succumbing to injuries sustained from an alleged one-punch attack in Sydney's northwest on Cup Day. “It was a very special win as well because we actually lost one of his owners (Paul Griffin)… during the week we had his funeral. I know he’d be looking down on him, and he gave him a good kick home, I’m sure,” stable representative Luke Hilton said.

“(Arapaho) put the writing on the wall a couple of starts ago, he backed it up again in the Champions Stakes, and then he’s just franked it today.” Arapaho ran fifth behind Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) last start in the G1 Champions S.

“His work on Tuesday, Bjorn said to me, ‘I’ve never ever had a stayer, or him, work like he did on Tuesday’. So, we came full of confidence, the track was obviously a little bit of a question mark – he has won on Heavy before – but it was a really good result and he’s back.

“It was a fantastic ride. She (Rachel King) loves this horse, she knows him so well, she knows him inside out and that was just an outstanding win. He’s a special horse for the team, it’s taken a long time to get him back.”

Arapaho hadn’t won since winning the G1 Tancred S. last spring, and he took his record to nine wins and eight placings from 39 starts with earnings over $2.5 million. He has booked his slot into the $1 million Supanova. Purchased at the Arqana Deauville Autumn Mixed Sale in 2020 for €140,000 (AU$227,000) by his trainer, Avenue Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock, Arapaho is one of 139 stakes winners for his sire.

His dam, Alzubra (GB) (Dansili {GB}), won the Listed Prix Dahlia among her five victories and she’s been an excellent broodmare with three stakes winners in her first three foals being Arapaho, Listed Prix Dahlia winner Alula Borealis (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and G3 Colin Stephen Handicap winner Athabascan (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}). Her next foal is a 3-year-old full sister to Arapaho, Aqua Augusta (Ire), who has won twice, while her 2-year-old is yet to win.

It’s been a while coming for New Energy

A winner on debut at two in Ireland in September 2021, 6-year-old gelding New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) almost won a Classic at three when second to Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, but he was yet to win again until Saturday’s G3 Eclipse S. at Caulfield.

Wearing the Australian Bloodstock colours, New Energy was ridden quietly by Mark Zahra and threaded his way between the leading pair over the final 50 metres to win by 0.3l from Paul Preusker trained 5-year-old gelding Poison Chalice (NZ) (Savabeel) with Ciaron Maher trained 5-year-old gelding Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) in third.

“He’s been running really well in some of the big races in Sydney and Melbourne and I think he can really go on from that,” Maher said. “That bit of confidence he’ll get out of that win will do him the world of good.”

The win gave Maher a treble for the day, all in stakes races, however jockey Mark Zahra was given a 14-meeting suspension for the ride after he pleaded guilty to causing interference at the 150-metre mark. His suspension will begin after the Hong Kong International meeting next Sunday.

New Energy (Ire) becomes the 19th stakes winner for New Bay, a young son of Dubawi (Ire) who stands at Ballylinch Stud for €75,000 (AU$). New Energy was sold by Ballylinch Stud as at a Tattersalls 2-year-old breeze up sale for 65,000gns (AU$132,000) and was a private purchase to Australia at the end of his 4-year-old season. He now has two wins from 19 starts with earnings over $530,000 and he came into the G3 Eclipse S. off a last start sixth in the G1 Cantala S.

For Joy (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) won twice over staying distances in France and produced Italian Group 3 winner Victoria Regina (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) with her first foal. She now has six winners and New Energy is her second stakes winner. She hasn’t produced a foal since 2022.

Welwal dives to nab G3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes

Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr’s imported 6-year-old gelding Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) made it a good day for imports at Caulfield winning with G3 Kevin Heffernan S. to become the second stakes winner for the day for Shalaa (Ire) with Eagle Nest winning the Listed Starlight S. at Rosehill. Ridden by Luke Currie, Welwal won by 0.15l over the 1400 metre trip from Lindsay Park trained 4-year-old gelding Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) with Ciaron Maher trained 4-year-old entire Warnie (Ire) (Highland Reel {Ire}) in third.

Previously a Group 3 winner in France in 2022, Welwal was resuming after running fifth last start in the Listed Scone Cup back in May, and he took his record to five wins and seven placings from 20 starts with earnings over $500,000. He sold at the Inglis Digital Sale in May 2024 for $330,000 to AG Bloodstock, but had been in Australia since he ran in the 2022 Golden Eagle.

“We do have very good form analysts, Hayden and 'Junior' who get their heads down and they're all over lots of horses and the data this and the data that, but I leave them to it and they run their own race a little bit,” co-trainer Price said.

“A very, very good old-time stable client Alf Gauci is in it. Tuesday morning, me and Currie stood there and he had a big blow so we thought 'It'll need the run'. So, I'm sort of in trouble but, Alf, when you win the big one (The Supernova), you'll thank me.” He will head to The Supernova next.

Welwal is out of Cheriearch (USA) (Arch {USA}) whose three wins included the Listed La Teste Prix La Sorellina. As a broodmare, she has left seven winners from as many to race with Welwal her only stakes winner, although she has two stakes-placed horses too. Her final foal is winning 3-year-old gelding Calypso King (GB) (Calyx {GB}), and her 4-year-old gelding Humanity (Ire) (Roaring Lion {USA}) arrived in Australia at the start of the year but is yet to win here.

The George Moore goes to Gollan for fourth year

Trainer Tony Gollan won the G3 George Moore S. for the fourth successive year, this time with 5-year-old gelding Hidden Wealth (Better Than Ready) who was ridden by Kyle Wilson-Taylor in a 3l demolition of the small field. The heavy track at Doomben had led to several scratchings, including the much-vaunted comeback of Group 1 winner Rothfire (Rothesay), and only five horses greeted the judge.

“He's a horse I've always loved from the get-go,” Gollan said. “He has had a hundred little problems, that's why he had such a long time off the scene at one stage. I loved watching him go through the grades and I've always thought this horse is going to get to a very good level.

“He has got that lovely, sustained speed, not many horses have that.”

Rex Lipp trained 4-year-old gelding Cifrado (Encryption) battled for the minors with Rob Heathcote trained 6-year-old gelding Prince Of Boom (Spirit Of Boom), but it was all Gollan’s Hidden Wealth. Gollan won the race in 2023 and 2021 with Zoustyle (Zoustar) and in 2022 with Garibaldi (I Am Invincible).

Consistent Hidden Wealth has now won four of his last five runs, including a last start win in the Listed Weetwood H. All up, he has eight wins from 15 starts with earnings over $570,000 and was a $110,000 purchase by his trainer and John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) from Kynoch Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is one of 14 stakes winners for Better Than Ready who added his second Group 1 winner last week with G1 Railway S. winner Port Lockroy.

Hidden Wealth’s dam Miss Stash (Bradbury’s Luck) was a solid race mare winning five including one in Brisbane and she’s produced three to race, all winners, with Hidden Wealth being her third foal. She has an unraced 2-year-old but no yearling. Hidden Wealth is the first stakes winner in four generations.

Sprinter Private Eye stretches in trip for G3 Festival Stakes win

Trainer Joseph Pride had kept 7-year-old gelding Private Eye (Al Maher) to sprint trips in recent seasons, but he popped him over a few jumps in training to keep his brain busy and then pushed him out to 1500 metres for Saturday’s G3 Festival S. at Rosehill and the old galloper rewarded him with a 3l win for jockey Nash Rawiller. Private Eye hadn’t won since the 2023 G2 Shorts, but he had placed in The Everest in both 2022 and 2023.

Private Eye won from Bjorn Baker trained 5-year-old gelding Robusto (Churchill {Ire}) with Peter Snowden trained 4-year-old gelding Xidaki (Zoustar) in third.

“This is a horse that overthinks stuff,” Pride said. “I have seen him back last in an Epsom (H.) scrubbed along, and I've seen him lead a Lightning Stakes. He keeps me guessing.

“We have been scratching our head about what to do with him. We have resorted to putting him over jumps and done a few different things so fantastic, great to see him do that again. He has been a marvellous horse for the stable. It is a long way from the best race he has ever won, but it's very satisfying.”

Private Eye won the G1 Epsom H. over a mile in 2021, and took his record to 12 wins from 41 starts with earnings over $11.8 million. He was a $62,500 purchase by Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Racing at the 2019 Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale from Ambergate Farm and is one of 40 stakes winners for his sire.

His dam, Confidential Queen (Shamardal {USA}), has a 2-year-old filly by Shalaa (Ire) but missed to King’s Legacy so has no yearling this year. Private Eye is her second foal, and she’s produced three winners from four to race.

Confidential Queen is a daughter of winning mare Royal Snippets (Royal Academy {USA}), who is a half-sister to Snitzel, Hinchinbrook, and Group 3 winner Vienesse (Redoute’s Choice).

Trotter gains first group win in the G3 Summoned Stakes

The last at Caulfield on Saturday, the G3 Summoned S., went to $26 chance 7-year-old mare Rumbled Again (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) ridden by Craig Williams to give trainer Michael Trotter his first Group win. Rumbled Again won by 0.75l from Grahame Begg trained 4-year-old mare So Glamorous (So You Think {NZ}) with only 0.25l back to Henry Dwyer trained 5-year-old mare Electric Impulse (Cable Bay {Ire}).

“It's surreal to be honest but this mare has been amazing. She's been around the mark for so long and it was just nice to see her get past the post first today,” said Trotter.

“She's done an amazing job and it's great for everyone involved in the stable, so I couldn't be happier.”

It was the first stakes win for Rumbled Again who had been knocking around in Group company all spring without placing but had run second in the G2 Sunline S. back in February. Rumbled Again took her record to seven wins and 10 placings from 36 starts with earnings over $515,000 and became the 59th stakes winner for her sire.

Not offered at auction, and bred by Mrs M Condon in Victoria, Rumbled Again is the last foal for Adulate (Flying Spur) who produced six winners from her nine earlier foals with Rumbled Again being her only stakes winner. A daughter of Group 2 winner Adraanito (Adraan {GB}), Adulate is a half-sister to G2 Ascot Vale S. (now G1 Coolmore Stud S.) winner Spargo (Rory’s Jester), as well as to the dam of Group 3 winner Celestial Show (Serheed {USA}) and Listed Maribyrnong Trial S. winner Fashion Victim (Rory’s Jester).