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Class prevails as Overpass too strong in Inglis Sprint

5th Mar 2022

A decision on whether Overpass (Vancouver) backs up in next weekend’s G1 Newmarket Hcp will be made in coming days following his comfortable win in today’s $750,000 Inglis Sprint at Flemington.

The lure of the big prizemoney on offer in the Inglis Race Series was enough to convince trainer Bjorn Baker and owners Darby Racing to send Overpass around today and it proved a wise decision, as they pocketed more than $400,000 in winnings.

It took his earnings to more than $800,000 after just 12 starts, a significant result for their $75,000 Easter Sale purchase along with Will Johnson from the draft of his breeder Corumbene Stud.

A decision now needs to be made on what happens next in the Overpass story.

“The initial plan was to back him up next week into the Newmarket but we’re still weighing things up and have some decisions to make,’’ Scott Darby said.

“We could go to the Newmarket with 50kg, wait for the Arrowfield Sprint [on Day 1 of The Championships] or even a race like the TJ Smith, there’s options there for us but he’s a really good horse this.

“The $750,000 was a huge lure for us to race in this race today. He’s a colt, he won a Group 2 first up so we need a G1 but that sort of money, back to his own age and restricted to Inglis graduates, it was just too much to give up.

“It’s great prizemoney, it’s been a great ride for the owners, they’re having the time of their life and now the plan is to make him a stallion.’’

Today’s win was Overpass’s 5th from 12 starts, with two seconds as well.

He defeated fellow Easter graduate Spellcatcher, with the Premier Yearling Sale-sold The Art Of Flying back in third.

Baker won a pair of Swarovski Optik binoculars as being the trainer of a winning horse in an Inglis Race Series event.

“I’ve been lucky enough to win a couple of pairs of these previously but I’m pretty sure a few of those other trainers at Warwick Farm have stolen them so it’s nice to finally get another that I’ll be engraving BB,’’ a delighted Baker said, tongue firmly in cheek.

“Overpass is such a promising colt who’s just kept improving. This is a huge result for Darby Racing who are massive supporters of Inglis and massive supporters of me.

“We’ve got a decision to make now, do we back him up into the Newmarket or not but we’ll let everything settle for a day or two and make a decision next week some time.

“There’s a lot of money on offer in the Inglis Race Series and it just means owners get a great return so regularly which is fantastic.’’

This year’s Easter Yearling Sale, where Overpass was sourced, will be held at Riverside on April 5 and 6.

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