Overpass back at site of biggest victory for Winterbottom Stakes

The only time the Australian gelding Overpass has raced at Ascot Racecourse in Perth he made a tiny piece of Australian racing history by winning the first running of the $2.68 million Quokka Stakes in April.

The Quokka Stakes is the richest race in Western Australia, and has a field in which owners purchase berths and then nominate starters.

Overpass, trained in Sydney by Bjorn Baker, is back at Ascot this weekend to start in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes at six furlongs. While the $1 million purse is much smaller than the Quokka, the Group 1 race is a leading sprint at the end of the Australian spring.

The Winterbottom Stakes, which drew a full field of 16, will be the first start for Overpass since he finished 10th of 12 in the $12.8 million Everest Stakes at six furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Oct. 14. The Everest is the world’s richest sprint and Australia’s richest race.

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The 5-year-old Overpass is quick enough to lead and could have company in that capacity from the upstart 3-year-old Oscar’s Fortune, who was beaten for the first time in his fifth start when second by a short head to Ripcord in the Placid Ark Stakes at six furlongs for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds at Ascot on Nov. 18.

Ripcord, who runs from off the pace, won for the second time in his sixth start in the Placid Ark Stakes and starts in the Winterbottom. He may post a threat in the final strides.

Serpentine tries Christmas Cup

Serpentine, the winner of the Group 1 English Derby in 2020 but only 19th of 23 in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup in Australia on Nov. 7, can end a six-race losing streak since April in the Group 3 Christmas Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Rosehill Gardens in Sydney on Friday evening.

Serpentine was part of the early pace in the Melbourne Cup at two miles at Flemington Racecourse before fading from contention. In October, Serpentine was third by two lengths in the Group 3 Bart Cummings Stakes at 1 9/16 miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne.

The Christmas Cup drew a field of 12. Serpentine was 5-1 in early betting on Thursday behind 5-2 favorite Sky Lab, who was third by 1 1/4 lengths in the Beauford Stakes at 1 7/16 miles at Newcastle Racecourse on Nov. 18 in his last start.

Rosehill Gardens has a 10-race program beginning at 8:20 p.m. Eastern or 5:20 p.m. Pacific on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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