Winterbottom Stakes 2024 preview & betting strategy | November 30

The Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes will headline proceedings at Ascot this Saturday afternoon, with the feature event scheduled for 4:56pm AWST. A full field of 16 runners are expected to line up in the 1200m contest, with one of those being defending champion, Overpass.

Unlike most of the Western Australian feature races, the Winterbottom has been good to runner trained in the Eastern states, with eight winners of the last 15 editions hailing from stables on the other side of the country. Will Bjorn Baker and Overpass continue their dominance in Ascot sprinting features, or will a local horse claim the Winterbottom Stakes in 2024?

2024 Winterbottom Stakes odds

Horse racing bookmakers have not let Overpass get under their guard once again in 2024, opening the betting market with the defending champion at the top at $2.70. Behind the Bjorn Baker-trained runner, the Grant & Alana Williams-trained Western Empire sits on the second line of betting at $5, with Lady Laguna ($6) and Maharba ($9) rounding out the runners marked under $10. Rope Them In ($15), Bravo Centurion ($15) and Almighty Class ($16) bring good form into the Winterbottom Stakes and they will attract money at each-way prices.

2024 Winterbottom Stakes speed map

The key speed influences have all drawn wide barriers, which should allow Overpass, Bravo Centurion and Boots Like Bruce time to cross the field and fight out the lead. With a strong speed expected, the likes of Lady Laguna, Almighty Class and Man Crush will settle behind the speed from their inside gates. Maharba, Western Empire and Saloon Bar will appreciate the strong tempo at the back of the field, and if you can make ground on the day, they will be flying home down the middle of the track in the final 400m.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Winterbottom Stakes.

Winterbottom Stakes 2024 preview & form

The lethal combination of Team Williams and William Pike will combine with Western Empire as they seek their second victory in the race, after Graceful Girl claimed the Winterbottom Stakes in 2021. The 2021 Railway Stakes winner has won or placed in Western Australia’s best races; however, this will be the first time the son of Iffraaj competes in the Winterbottom. The Grant & Alana Williams-prepared gelding finished as unlcuky second place in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) as the race favourite, but given the strength of his last 200m, Western Empire will appreciate a rise to 1200m and a much better barrier (4).

If Overpass does go back-to-back in the Winterbottom Stakes, he will have done it the hard way after jumping from the widest barrier and settling on a hot speed. We won’t be losing on the race if the Bjorn Baker sprinter proves too good once again. Outside of the top two, Almighty Class can bounce back from a torrid run in the Colonel Reeves, likewise Saloon Bar, who will appreciate the hot speed and will be flying home from the back of the field.

Winterbottom Stakes 2024 selections & best bets

• 2
  

  WESTERN EMPIRE

• 1
  

  OVERPASS

• 13
  

  ALMIGHTY CLASS

• 6
  

  SALOON BAR

2024 Winterbottom Stakes Final Field

1. Overpass (16)

• T: Bjorn Baker
• J: Joshua Parr
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 81x1x
• Age: 6YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Vancouver
• Dam: Walkway

+170
-232.56

2. Western Empire (4)

• T: Grant & Alana Williams
• J: William Pike
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 2×241
• Age: 7YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Iffraaj (GB)
• Dam: Western Jewel

+400
+100

3. Red Can Man (11)

• T: Steve Wolfe
• J: Shaun O’Donnell
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 6×063
• Age: 8YO
• Colour: Chestnut
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Gingerbread Man
• Dam: Brocky’s Ace

+5000
+1250

4. Hot Zed (2)

• T: Lou Luciani
• J: Jason Whiting
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 0x067
• Age: 7YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Red Hot Choice
• Dam: Zedfire

+5000
+1250

5. Maharba (6)

• T: Grahame Begg
• J: Jordan Childs
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 13×31
• Age: 4YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Pride of Dubai
• Dam: Blizzardly

+800
+200

6. Saloon Bar (13)

• T: Daniel Morton
• J: Steven Parnham
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 32218
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Sessions
• Dam: Paris Cracker

+1600
+400

7. Man Crush (7)

• T: Luke Fernie
• J: Clint Johnston-Porter
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 07132
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Manhattan Rain
• Dam: Crushed

+10000
+2500

8. Snowdome (10)

• T: Neville Parnham
• J: Brad Parnham
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 6x77x
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Grey
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Rommel
• Dam: Snow Pixie

+5000
+1250

9. Rope Them In (9)

• T: Steve Wolfe
• J: Shaun McGruddy
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 1521x
• Age: 4YO
• Colour: Brown
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Playing God
• Dam: Lead Rope

+1400
+350

10. Boots Like Bruce (14)

• T: Anne King
• J: ALan Kennedy
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 74×11
• Age: 7YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Alfred Nobel (IRE)
• Dam: Smithfields

+10000
+2500

11. Bravo Centurion (15)

• T: Luke Fernie
• J: Chris Parnham
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 11111
• Age: 4YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: National Defense (GB)
• Dam: Comme Ca

+1400
+350

12. Rockin’ Rupert (3)

• T: Sean & Jake Casey
• J: Lucy Fiore
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 5×115
• Age: 6YO
• Colour: Chestnut
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Winning Rupert
• Dam: Love the Rock (NZ)

+5000
+1250

13. Almighty Class (5)

• T: Mitchell Pateman
• J: Jarrad Noske
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 411×0
• Age: 4YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Playing God
• Dam: My Classy Lady

+1500
+375

14. Crippalenko (8)

• T: Greg Beauglehole
• J: TBC
• W: 58.5kg
• F: 0311x
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Gelding
• Sire: Maschino
• Dam: Brookesmebaby

+20000
+5000

15. Lady Laguna (1)

• T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
• J: James McDonald
• W: 56.5kg
• F: 036×7
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Mare
• Sire: Overshare
• Dam: Catalina de Lago (NZ)

+500
+125

16. Laced Up Heels (12)

• T: Luke Fernie
• J: Joseph Azzopardi
• W: 56.5kg
• F: 6860x
• Age: 5YO
• Colour: Bay
• Sex: Mare
• Sire: Toronado (IRE)
• Dam: A City Girl

+5000
+1250

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