Sydney flyer Overpass leads betting for Winterbottom Stakes despite torrent of support for Western Empire

The Group 1 $1.5 million MCA Polytrack Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) headlines the third week of the Pinnacles carnival, with the best speedsters from WA and beyond to go to war in a battle of sustained speed. Headlining the talent is Sydney scorcher Overpass, who looks to recapture his crown after pillaging last year’s edition and also the only two runnings of the Quokka over the last couple of seasons. After winning the Sydney Stakes in arguably a better performance than was seen on the same day in The Everest, Australia’s richest race, he disappointed some with a lacklustre eighth in the VRC Classic down the Flemington straight last time. But perhaps he just lost his way down such a long straight run, and now returns to his home away from home at Ascot where he has experienced his greatest glories on his way to accumulating almost $9 million in prizemoney. The $3 TABtouch favourite was dealt the widest barrier in the field (16), though it may not be as bad as it first seems for the six-year-old. He draws immediately outside the likely leader in Bravo Centurion ($10), which could supply him with the perfect cover across into the race. Trainer Bjorn Baker reports that the horse has settled in as well as could be expected and is loving life back in the West, making him clearly the target all 15 rivals have to beat. But a charge of support has arrived for proven Group 1 performer Western Empire, with a continuous flow of support over recent weeks finally drilling him from $4.80 into $3.70 after drawing gate four. The 2021 Railway Stakes winner was held up at the top of the straight last time but still peppered his way into second place behind Rope Them In ($14). Following the performance, co-trainer Grant Williams reported that the gelding needed the run and did blow out after the performance. There are no finer big race trainers than Grant and Alana Williams, so you can bet your bottom dollar he’ll be right on the day. Jockey William Pike will just have to weave his way through the pack over the concluding stages and the gelding will get his opportunity to become the first horse to complete the Railway-Winterbottom double since the races were elevated to Group 1 status. Another Sydneysider Lady Laguna has garnered interest from punters, with the world’s leading jockey James McDonald taking the mount on the mare who has been $6 into $5 this week. The five-year-old over-raced badly in the VRC Classic and was unable to run past Overpass and finished four lengths behind him when Baker’s gelding romped away with the Sydney Stakes. From gate one, she’s sure to receive a soft run and the training partnership of Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald could make a momentous Perth trip even better after last week’s Railway win with Port Lockroy. The last of the raiders is Maharba ($10), however he brings the point of difference being trained by Victorian trainer Grahame Begg. His form has largely been at a lower level than his travelling companions, with a nose win in Flemington’s Rising Fast Stakes at Group 3 level last time out being his crowning success. He shares the fourth line of betting with Bravo Centurion, an untapped four-year-old who has rocketed through the local sprinting ranks with a unbeaten six-from-six campaign. Though he clearly has dash, this is going to be a new test again and he has a long preparation that has continued to get longer because he keeps getting better and winning. His four-length Prince Of Wales rout was patently his best performance of his career and though he was obviously freshened for his Lark Hill hit-out Monday week ago, it was a far cry from his raceday efforts. He also must now rise back to 1200m, which is going be a rigorous demand for such a speed demon who has grown accustomed to the 1000m circuit in recent weeks. After Rope Them In, the two remaining runners given knockout claims are Saloon Bar and Almighty Class (both $23). Saloon Bar, conversely, will much appreciate the six-furlong distance and whistled his way into third place in the Colonel Reeves Stakes last start, while Almighty Class finished fourth after winning his two previous runs in lesser company. It would come as no surprise if Saloon Bar delivered a final blow to win Saturday’s race, with Almighty Class certain to put himself in the thick of the action from an early stage as well. + Placid Ark winner Wind And The Lion will be out to assert his dominance over the three-year-old ranks in the Listed $125,000 TABtouch Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic as a $3 favourite. However, Mai Aloha ($3.60) is expected to take serious stitching after being unlucky in their last-start meeting, and Sir Dreamalot ($9 into $6.50) has been supported after a brave fifth in that race. London’s Image ($12 into $7) is apparently thriving off a rigorous racing schedule and backs up off just seven days after leading a frantic pace in the WA Guineas before faltering over the final 100m to finish fifth. Six Shooter ($13 into $8.50) is the progressive horse on the way up after decisively taking a Class 3 event at Belmont just a week-and-a-half ago. + Baby Paris ($5 into $3.70) has been bombarded in the betting for the Listed $125,000 Ascend Trophies Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) after a fleet-footed all-the-way win in the Jungle Mist a fortnight earlier. The Boss Lady ($3.70 to $4.20) finished second in that event, with R J Peters third placegetter Amber Glide ($6) and that race’s seventh finisher Luvnwar ($6.50) the remaining runners under double figures.