While it might not match the adulation for his close relative Northerly, the Vancouver speedball Overpass is building a huge fan club in the west after adding Saturday’s $1,500,000 Group 1 Crown Perth - Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot to his success in the $4,000,000 The Quokka.
In winning The Quokka in April, Overpass downed the star three-year-old Amelia’s Jewel, and he had two of the west’s top three-year-old behind him on Saturday.
Rissen by Josh Parr for Bjorn Baker, the Darby racing colour-bearer, travelled on the outside of leader Savatoxl.
Parr headed to the centre of the track on straightening and the 5-year-old gelding was never in danger, holding the Rich Enuff 3-year old Oscar's Fortune by one and three-quarter lengths with the Written By 3-year-old Ripcord a length back in third.
It was revealed after the race that Ram Racing had tied up Overpass for their slot in The Quokka to be run on April 20, 2024 at Ascot.
With his first Group 1 success, Overpass advances his record to six wins and five seconds from 24 starts with earnings of $4,852,400.
That is a good return on the $75,000 outlaid by Darby Racing / Will Johnson Bloodstock for the son of Vancouver from the Corumbene Stud draft at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale Round 2.
The significance of the race was not lost on Bjorn Baker.
“Four Australian international superstars have won this race: Takeover Target, Ortensia, Miss Andretti and Buffering, Baker said.
“To win this race is amazing. It’s special for Darby Racing and Josh Parr rode him like the best horse. What a year Josh is having. He won the Golden Eagle and Quokka. He is a big race rider and I’m thrilled as this horse deserved it.
“I left it to Josh; just be positive.”
Bred by Corumbene Stud, Overpass is the best of five winners from as many to race for the winning Exceed and Excel mare Walkway, whose dam Boardwalk Bell (Bellotto) is a half-sister to 9-time Group 1 winner Northerly.
Walkway has a 2-year-old colt by Capitalist and foaled a full sister to Overpass on September 11.
The family is represented at the Magic Millions through Cresssfield's Snitzel filly (lot 362) and at the Tasmanian Yearling Sale through Grenville Stud's Royal Meeting (IRE) colt (lot 95)
Overpass is the first Group 1 winner for Vancouver. After beginning his career at Coolmore Stud, the Golden Slipper winning son of Medaglia d’Oro (USA) now stands at Woodside Stud for a fee of $11,000.
