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| Sumita Pawar |
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Bjorn Baker is confident that his star sprinter Overpass is an obvious choice for one of the eight remaining slots in this year's A$20m The Everest.
According to trainer Bjorn Baker, Overpass has returned to work after a few weeks and is in the best shape of his career.
“I’ve got no doubt he’s a better racehorse now that he’s a gelding,” he said.
“He’s definitely matured and if anything, he’s come back even stronger with this preparation.
“He’s a horse that been very sound throughout his career so I think as he has got bigger and stronger, he has continued to improve.”
The Everest: Overpass's Golden Opportunity
Trainer Bjorn Baker believes that Overpass, the son of 2015 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, has shown enough potential in his two runs during his only campaign in 2023 to convince slot-holders to eagerly seek a place for him in this year's A$20m The Everest.
“It’s an easy case to make because his form this year has been as good as any,” he said.
“To win first-up in Western Australia was a monumental effort because it was his first time racing left-handed and he was able to beat the local superstar Amelia’s Jewel on her own patch.
“Then a flight back across the country, four weeks between runs, and running second in the Doomben 10,000 was enormous.
“Giga Kick is a pretty decent yardstick when it comes to the Australian sprinting ranks.”
In addition, Baker emphasized that the discussion surrounding the El Nino weather event is another advantageous aspect for Overpass as he prepares for the upcoming 2023 spring carnival.
Overpass is set to participate in trials in mid-August and, based on previous experiences, the horse will only have one race before Australia's most lucrative horse race.
“He’ll resume in The Shorts but the plan is to copy his autumn campaign and go straight from there into The Everest with five weeks between runs,” Baker said.
“When you look back through his career most of his best performances have come when he’s on the fresh side.
“He beat Anamoe and Forbidden Love in the Expressway first-up, The Shorts last year was first-up when he got close to Nature Strip and he was fresh in his two runs this year in The Quokka and the Doomben 10,000.
“On form, the horse should be in The Everest.”