Vancouver Colt Wins G2 Expressway

Tara Madgwick - Saturday January 29

The Group II ATC Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday marked the return of champion colt Anamoe, but he came up short finishing third to unheralded Vancouver colt Overpass and Group I winning mare Forbidden Love.

Overpass scores an all the way win in the G2 Expressway - image Steve Hart

Fresh and above himself in the mounting yard, the James Cummings trained Anamoe was clearly in need of the run and on a track favouring leaders, most punters were prepared for an upset.

Luckless during the spring in three unplaced runs in elite company, Overpass was well tuned for his first run back by Bjorn Baker with two recent solid barrier trials to have him near his top.

Tim Clark grabbed the initiative and sent Overpass forward to lead and he controlled the race before kicking on well to win by half a length over Forbidden Love with Anamoe surging into third.
 

 


"I

Advertisement
t was a great ride by Tim. I gave him a bit of an open canvas. He dominated and dictated,” said Bjorn Baker.

"You only have to look at the Roman Consul and Coolmore to know he is a top, top class horse. He has never been the greatest track worker. It is hard to get a line on him from that point of view. He's a race day horse."

Baker is spoiled for choice in terms of where to go with Overpass this year, but is not shying away from thinking big.

"We will just see what happens. He's a fast horse, he has always shown speed. I will nominate him for the Newmarket on Monday,” Baker said.

“We have some unfinished business there. We will give it a bit of thought. There is plenty to think about. There is The Everest, Golden Eagle, there are so many options.

"I only take them half a step at the time, I'm always wary. I said to my team if he runs well today and he happens to win, it gives us the key to anywhere we want to go. I don't run them out of their grades, but I thought enough of him and decided bugger it we will have a crack and it's paid off. He's a superstar colt."

 

Darby Racing get a great result with Overpass!

A $75,000 Inglis Easter Round 2 purchase for Darby Racing / Will Johnson Bloodstock from the Corumbene Stud draft, Overpass has won four of 10 starts earning $347,000 in prizemoney.

He was bred by Corumbene and is the best of four winners from winning Exceed and Excel mare Walkway who comes from the family of Australian Horse of the Year Northerly.

Walkway has no yearling for the sales this year, but had a colt by Capitalist last spring and was then covered by Shalaa (IRE).

Overpass is the eighth stakes-winner for Coolmore's Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, who has five entries in the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

 

Advertisment

Race Result - XXXX Expressway Stakes Gr2 1200m

Rosehill Track: Good(3) Time: 1:08.96
1
Overpass
- 3c Vancouver (AUS) x Walkway (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Tim Clark 55
Vancouver
2
0.5
Forbidden Love
- 4m All Too Hard (AUS) x Juliet's Princess (USA) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: J Bowman 56.5
All Too Hard
3
0.9
Anamoe
- 3c Street Boss (USA) x Anamato (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J B Mc Donald 55
4
2.5
Belluci Babe
- 5m Per Incanto (USA) x Savamour (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: J Parr 56.5
5
4.2
Superium
- 5g Verrazano (USA) x Rosie's Halo (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: M, W & J Hawkes Rdr: C Schofield 58.5
6
4.5
Standout
- 5h Exceed And Excel (AUS) x Bahia (AUS) (Snippets (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: K Mc Evoy 58.5
7
6.4
Tiger Of Malay
- 3c Extreme Choice (AUS) x Sambar (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
Tnr: R & M Freedman Rdr: Tommy Berry 55
More Reading...
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!