There’s very little chance that Woodside Park’s Mark Dodemaide will be moving far from the TV on Saturday afternoon, particularly given that Overpass will be tackling the sprinting elite in the $1.5 million Doomben 10,000.
Fresh from a victory in the inaugural $4 million The Quokka in Perth last month, the Vancouver 4YO is chasing his initial success in a Group 1 event.
“If ever a stallion deserved a Group 1 winner it’s Vancouver,” Dodemaide points out. “He got his 10th stakes winner last Saturday with his 2YO filly Illicit Dreams winning the Champagne Stakes in New Zealand, while five of the 10 are Group 2 winners.
“He (Vancouver) will stand this season at a fee of $11,000 and if Overpass is successful in the 10,000, he’ll take his earnings to over $4.5 million.
“As a Golden Slipper winner it’s not surprising that he’s capable of producing fast, early types but a lot of them train on like Overpass and he also gets Group 2 horses winning over 2000m like Yaletown.”
Joining Vancouver at Woodside this spring is the rapidly rising Shalaa, who duly posted his 15th stakes winner when 2YO filly, Chilled took out the Listed Without Fear Stakes at Morphettville last Saturday.
“I could easily bang on about how he (Shalaa) was a Champion 2YO, he’s by Invincible Spirit and how he’s already got 11 new stakes winners since March last year, with Group winners in Jennilala (also Group 1 placed) and Recommendation in the last month or two, but arguably his greatest asset is that he’s such a ‘look and book’.
“Shalaa has been on the farm three weeks and I’m blown away at just how good this horse presents. I’d seriously advise anyone to come and have a look at him on farm. Incredible type.”
Rounding out the Woodside lineup in 2023 are the proven sires, Foxwedge and Rich Enuff, while Frankel’s track record breaker, Delaware is gearing up for his second season at the Victorian complex.
“We really couldn’t be happier with our roster for this spring,” Dodemaide adds. “I remember when Foxwedge was going through the sales ring in Sydney and thinking he would be the top priced colt at Easter (he ended up third when sold for $925,000) and he really throws them to type … he’s got to be one of the most underrated stallions in Australia – sire of five Group 1 winners and standing for just $11,000. Ten days ago he had a city treble which included Foxicon, who has won four of her last five, while last Saturday Foxy Frida ran a blinder to finish second in the Group 2 Queen of the South.
“Rich Enuff’s black type winners this season include Diamonds and Rich Fortune – and it was nearly a third stakes winner last Saturday when 2YO Abounding was beaten a lip in the Group 3 Ken Russell Memorial – while Delaware is the only commercial son of Frankel currently standing in Australia.
“Remarkable really when you consider he just had his 26th Group 1 winner this week when Chaldean won the 2000 Guineas!”
