Ray Thomas column: Bjorn Baker eyes $25m prizemoney milestone in Overpass’ bid for Quokka hat-trick
Outstanding sprinter Overpass will provide trainer Bjorn Baker with another milestone moment if he can complete a Quokka three-peat.
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Bjorn Baker can take his stable earnings for the season over the $25m prizemoney barrier if brilliant sprinter Overpass completes a three-peat in the $5m The Quokka (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday.
Baker has had a breakout season with his runners winning 128 races – equalling his stable’s previous best set in 2019-20 – and there is still more than three months of the 2024-24 season remaining.
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The trainer has already prepared the winners of a career-best $23.5m this season which easily eclipses the $14.3m his runners earned in 2023-24.
The only trainers to have won more prizemoney than Baker this season are Ciaron Maher with $53.7m and Chris Waller on $47.5m.
Overpass is racing for $2m first prizemoney in The Quokka over the Ascot 1200m course where he is unbeaten in four attempts.
The talented six-year-old’s unbeaten Perth record includes the only two editions of The Quokka so far and successive Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes.
Baker said Overpass returns to Perth in arguably the best form of his stellar career after his close second in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick earlier this month.
“Overpass is going great, I think he’s going as well as he ever has during his career, and he just does so well in Perth,’’ Baker said.
“He’s drawn a little wide but he has such good early speed, he will slide across, settle on the pace and do his thing. Then they will have to try and run him down.’’
If Overpass does win a third successive Quokka, he will become only the fourth horse in Australian racing history to earn more than $12m prizemoney.
Baker is at Ascot for Overpass’ Quokka hat-trick bid but he will be keeping a close eye on results at Royal Randwick where the trainer has some good winning chances.
They include the speedy Passeggiata who is attempting to snap a winless streak that stretches nearly three years in the Jeff Pendlebury Handicap (1000m).
Passeggiata is resuming but has shown her brilliant natural pace to win two barrier trials by big margins in recent weeks.
“Her trials have been really good,’’ Baker said.
“If anything she is more settled than before and we know she has the ability but needs to show it again on race day.’’
Baker found it difficult to split his last-start winners Istolea Merc and Yankee One who clash in the NSW Bookmakers Co-Operative Handicap (1400m).
“Istolea Merc is a progressive horse,’’ Baker said.
“I’m not sure about him on a really wet track but we will ride him where he is comfortable and he will be hitting the line hard.
“Yankee One is rock hard fit, we will be positive from gate one and she will be hard to beat.’’
ROWDY PARTY LOOMS
There’s been a significant betting move for Victorian mare Extremely Rowdy in the Neville Waters Handicap (1200m).
Extremely Rowdy, trained by Peter Gelagotis, firmed from $15 to $9.50 after a TAB punter placed a wager of $7500 at $11.
If Extremely Rowdy wins at Randwick, the punter will collect a cool $82,500.
WALLER MOVIN CLOSER RECORD
Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller can set a record for most Group 1 wins in a season with Movin Out in the $1m Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville.
Waller has already trained 18 Group 1 winners this season, equalling his own record he set in 2018-19.
Movin Out goes to the Oaks on the back-up after her very impressive win in the Mornington Guineas last Saturday.
Waller’s racing manager Charlie Duckworth described Movin Out as a highly-strung filly and conceded “barrier one is a negative as she doesn’t want to be cluttered up”.
“But the back-up should take some freshness out of her,’’ Duckworth said.
Movin Out is challenging for Oaks favouritism at $5 behind Benagil at $4.
At Royal Randwick, Duckworth gave a big push for Waller’s new stable recruit Wootton Verni who makes his Australian debut in the Precise Air Handicap (1500m).
Wootton Verni won five of his nine starts in France including a Group 3 race over 2100m at Saint-Cloud.
Duckworth said Wootton Verni “trialled unbelievably” last week when closing fast for second behind Oh Diamond Lil at Warwick Farm.
“James (McDonald, jockey) could not have been happier with his trial – I think he should be too good,’’ Duckworth declared.
BANDIT FLYING BUT UP IN CLASS
Trainer Kerry Parker concedes the promising Flying Bandit is confronted by a sizeable challenge in the Tom Bingle Handicap (1800m).
“Flying Bandit did a good job to win at Hawkesbury last start but he is jumping a fair bit in grade to a benchmark 94,’’ Parker said.
“He does drop 7kg and gets in light so if he is good enough he will have his chance.’’
Flying Bandit made it five wins from 10 starts when he shouldered 59.5kg to win a benchmark 78 over 1800m, albeit narrowly.
“That’s just him, if he is going to get there it is always the last few strides,’’ Parker said.
“We have got to wait for him to build into that big action of his but he is starting to work out where the line is, that’s for sure.
“This is a big test for him but I’ve always had a good opinion of him, he has plenty of upside.’’
BOOKIES STILL VALUED
The seventh annual Bookmakers Recognition Day at Royal Randwick will honour four of their own as well as offer free entry to the 10-race meeting.
Neville Waters, Terry Marskell, Tom Bingle and Jeff Pendlebury have more than 200 years of combined experience as bookmakers and they will be formally recognised and have races named in tribute.
Chairman of the NSW Bookmakers Cooperative David Dwyer said the four bookmakers along with their many colleagues across NSW added great colour and attraction to race days.
“Bookmakers have been battling with punters across NSW for more than 150 years, providing that unique colour and excitement that only being on course can match,’’ Dwyer said.
“The Sydney betting ring is still the strongest in Australia and offers punters big and small the most competitive odds of anywhere.
“Some of the bookmakers honoured on Saturday have also travelled vast distances in their careers to offer punters an on course service in country towns and at picnic meetings.
“We are pleased to join with the ATC and thank the Club for recognising the important role that bookmakers provide on race days all year round.’’
Originally published as Ray Thomas column: Bjorn Baker eyes $25m prizemoney milestone in Overpass’ bid for Quokka hat-trick
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