Group 1 racing takes place in WA as the Perth Carnival’s elite levels continue with the $1.5 million Crown Perth Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on Saturday.
Overpass is the horse to beat in the 2023 Winterbottom Stakes in WA this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.
A quality line-up of sprinters faces off in this year’s Winterbottom field with the latest markets at Ladbrokes led by the autumn’s The Quokka winner Overpass at $3.10.
Bjorn Baker’s smart Vancouver gelding was good here posting a narrow upset over local star Amelia’s Jewel in mid-April to claim the inaugural $4 million The Quokka race at the track and trip.
At his latest he was four lengths back 10th in the $20 million The Everest (1200m) in Sydney.
Freshened-up since Overpass is now the one to beat back in Perth against an easier line-up.
Three other runners join Overpass at single-figure Winterbottom Stakes odds including the $7 second elect Ripcord.
The Luke Fernie-trained Written By three-year-old is out to break a notable drought of youngster’s in the race with the last of his age to win being Hardrada back in 2002.
The up-and-comer is putting together a nice Ascot track record (5:2-1-1) and comes off a narrow win here from barrier 14 of 14 in the Listed $500,000 Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) on November 18.
He is drawn to get an easier run this weekend in the Group 1 from barrier seven with Clint Johnston-Porter retaining the ride.
Triple Missile ($8.50) in barrier one for Damien Oliver’s penultimate Group 1 ride before retirement and the consistent Oscar’s Fortune ($9) wider out in gate 13 for the ‘Wizard of the West’ Willie Pike round out the single-figure fancies.
The Lindsey Smith-trained Smart Missile six-year-old Triple Missile has a 50% winning strike rate over the 1200m at Ascot and is back west after a solid spring in Melbourne.
Two back he was a length second to Star Patrol in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) before another run down the ‘Straight Six’ at Flemington when sixth in a blanket finish in the Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes (1200m) a month ago.
Oscor’s Fortune meanwhile is another three-year-old out to beat the older sprinters with the Dion Luciani-trained Rich Enuff gelding having lost just one of his five starts to date.
He posted four straight wins before going down a nostril flare in the Placid Ark, a devastatingly close loss he is out to atone for in the rematch with Ripcord on the weekend.
The others most likely chasing an upset at double-figures include the Lou Luciani-trained Hot Zed ($11) coming off a Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes win and the returning market mover Resortman heavily backed in from $41 to $17.
The Winterbottom Stakes is set to run as Ascot Race 9 at 5:20pm (AWST) on Saturday’s 10-race card.
2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Barriers
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6690x12x20 | OVERPASS | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 11 | 58.5kg | 113 | |
| 2 | x22630x136 | RED CAN MAN | Steve Wolfe | Paul Harvey | 10 | 58.5kg | 107 | |
| 3 | x110x3230x | SAVATOXL | Will Savage | Ms Holly Watson | 8 | 58.5kg | 106 | |
| 4 | 6x7156x371 | HOT ZED | Lou Luciani | Jason Whiting | 2 | 58.5kg | 107 | |
| 5 | 11340x473x | RESORTMAN | Michael Lane | Brad Rawiller | 9 | 58.5kg | 107 | |
| 6 | x3043x0x40 | LAVERROD | Sean & Jake Casey | Jordan Turner | 15 | 58.5kg | 101 | |
| 7 | x3113132x1 | SNOWDOME | Neville Parnham | Chris Parnham | 18 | 58.5kg | 100 | |
| 8 | 11x42x7x26 | TRIPLE MISSILE | Lindsey Smith | Damien Oliver | 1 | 58.5kg | 100 | |
| 9 | 46x2x11328 | PHANTA | Chris & Michael Gangemi | Brad Parnham | 17 | 58.5kg | 101 | |
| 10 | 221x5244x8 | CLEMENCEAU | Chris & Michael Gangemi | Jarrad Noske | 14 | 58.5kg | 95 | |
| 11 | 552150×529 | MAN CRUSH | Luke Fernie | Michael Poy | 12 | 58.5kg | 90 | |
| 12 | 1x353x4484 | GO FORWARD | Chris & Michael Gangemi | Laqdar Ramoly | 6 | 58.5kg | 82 | |
| 13 | x1159x5255 | MY BELLA MAE | Dion Luciani | Patrick Carbery | 5 | 56.5kg | 99 | |
| 14 | x1336541x6 | FLYING MISSILE | Neville Parnham | Steven Parnham | 3 | 56.5kg | 88 | |
| 15 | 13×2281 | RIPCORD | Luke Fernie | Clint Johnston-Porter | 7 | 54.5kg | 86 | |
| 16 | 11112 | OSCAR’S FORTUNE | Dion Luciani | William Pike | 13 | 54.5kg | 84 | |
| 17e | 213421234x | CORN COB | Julia Martin | Austin Galati | 16 | 58.5kg | 84 | |
| 18e | 135×231182 | VALENCY | Robyn Lockwood | 4 | 56.5kg | 78 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
The post Winterbottom Stakes 2023 Field & Odds Update: Overpass Firm Favourite appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
