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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
The Winterbottom obstacles in the way of Overpass
Andrew Slevison • November 18th, 2025 3:48 pm
Overpass is chasing a third straight Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday week.
The seven-year-old sprinter has claimed the past two editions of the Group 1 worth a cool $1.5 million and is back to make it an unprecedented treble.
Trainer Bjorn Baker says the Vancouver gelding is in good nick ahead of the Winterbottom assignment on November 29 having kept him nice and fresh since his commendable fourth in the $20 million Everest on October 18.
“He’s straight into it, he knows what it’s about. He’s in great order,” Baker said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“Even last year it was a bit of a question mark. We went down to Melbourne and he never fired so we’ve opted to keep him fresh and he is best fresh.
“I think he’s spot on, he trialled at Warwick Farm last week with a very soft hit-out, he looks fantastic and generally when he looks great he runs great.”
Baker admits this year’s Winterbottom field provides plenty of competition for Overpass, particularly rising star Jokers Grin who won the Group 3 Colonel Reeves (1100m) last weekend.
“No doubt some local contenders we’re worried about,” Baker added. “In particular Jokers Grin.
“He looks to be a little bit of a superstar and his record shows that. It’s not going to be plain sailing, there’s a few pretty stern obstacles in the way.”
Jokers Grin, trained by Bernie Miller, now has nine wins from 12 career starts to his name.
His usual jockey Patrick Carbery missed the ride on Saturday due to a concussion sustained last Thursday at Bunbury with Shaun O’Donnell filling the void.
But Carbery will be back in the saddle aboard the Maschino five-year-old in the Winterbottom and is extremely excited about what’s ahead.
“We believe we haven’t even touched his ceiling yet,” Carbery said of Jokers Grin on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“He did get offered an Everest slot after he won the Quokka but connections were keen to keep him home and let him furnish out and mature.
“He’s only had a short amount of starts and he’s still relatively a baby. We’re still not sure where he’ll end up but he’s all class.”
As could be the case with Overpass, on the agenda of Jokers Grin could be the 1400m Gold Rush on December 13.
Carbery says he can see him stretching out beyond his regular distances of 1100m-1200m given the right circumstances.
“He’s got the action of a horse who can get a mile but that depends on how much he will settle,” he added.
“At the moment he is where he is at 1200m and it will be interesting to see if he gets to the Gold Rush to see where he’s at in at 1400m.”
Jokers Grin claimed the $5 million Quokka at Ascot in April, knocking off hot favourite Overpass who finished fifth after winning the previous two editions.
He is currently $3 for the Winterbottom with Sportsbet behind favourite Overpass at $2.50.
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