Bjorn Baker targets Perth Group 1 double with star gallopers Belclare and Overpass

Bjorn Baker has won two Quokkas and a Winterbottom Stakes over the past two years and he’s eager to add to his WA feature tally in the coming weeks.

Belclare will head to WA for the Group 1 Railway Stakes but will need a new jockey with Tyler Schiller suspended. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Trainer Bjorn Baker has locked in a two-pronged Western Australian Group 1 assault but is on the lookout for a new jockey for flying mare Belclare in Saturday week’s Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot.

Baker has enjoyed several profitable visits to Perth in recent years with Belclare and star sprinter Overpass (Winterbottom Stakes) set to lead his 2024 summer assault.

Belclare has been a revelation in Sydney over the past month with feature race victories in the Group 2 The Invitation and Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes in consecutive race starts.

Star Sydney rider Tyler Schiller was aboard in both of those victories however the Group 1 jockey will be a two-week suspension following this Saturday’s stand-alone meeting at Newcastle.

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Belclare leads all the way to take out the Hot Danish Stakes in style! 🔥@[e-mail]/KgBDghEwg2

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) November 9, 2024

Baker is “yet to confirm a jockey” for the Group 1 $1.5m Railway Stakes but is confident his gun daughter of Per Incanto will head across the country as one of the horses to beat.

“Belclare will go over there and has done really well her past two starts,“ Baker said.

“I think she will be well suited over there and her best form is over the mile so looking forward to getting her there.”

Belclare is already a dual Group 1 winner at the mile in New Zealand with back-to-back triumphs in the NZ Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes in the past two editions.

She has been given 57.5kg in the Railway Stakes where she is rated an equal $6 favourite alongside the Ciaron Maher-trained Light Infantry Man, who will leave Sydney on the same charter flight on Friday.

Baker’s star sprinter Overpass will join them as he seeks to defend the Group 1 $1.5m Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) crown he claimed last year.

The star son of Vancouver boasts an amazing Ascot record, also winning The Quokka twice in the autumn.

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Overpass came, saw and conquered the Winterbottom! 💪@JoshuaParr8@BBakerRacing@Darby_Racingpic.twitter.com/VN8T47G2N7

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 2, 2023

A winner of the Group 3 Sydney Stakes first-up this spring, Overpass failed to match that effort last Saturday when eighth in the Group 1 Champions Sprint at Flemington.

“He pulled up fine,” Baker said.

“It just wasn’t his day on Saturday in the Champions Sprint but we will get him back to Perth.

“We know he goes so well there.”

Overpass is the $3 favourite for the Winterbottom Stakes from the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained Lady Laguna ($8), who is also expected to head west.

Meanwhile, Baker has nominated Highlights and Battleton for Saturday’s $1m The Hunter but neither horse will line up in the newly-minted Group 2 event at Newcastle.

Both horses are set to line up in the Benchmark 94 over 1300m on the same program.

Originally published as Bjorn Baker targets Perth Group 1 double with star gallopers Belclare and Overpass