Juvenile Overpass has already exceeded expectations and he will be out to continue in that vein when he rises to Saturday grade at Gosford’s stand-alone meeting.
By 2015 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver, the colt’s only defeat was on debut at Hawkesbury when he finished runner-up to Gleneagles, who subsequently franked the form by winning the Clarendon Stakes last week.
Overpass has also continued to thrive, posting back-to-back wins at Orange and Warwick Farm, his latest effort prompting trainer Bjorn Baker to head to Saturday’s Central Coast Granite 2YO Handicap (1200m).
“He just keeps raising the bar. I didn’t think we’d get this far with him, but he just keeps improving the whole time,” Baker said.
“He looks great, his last win was dominant and we couldn’t be happier with him.”
The two-year-old is an early favourite at Gosford and if he performs to expectations, connections will consider a tilt at the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 29.
Meanwhile, Kris Lees will rely on Aliferous in the Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) after opting to send Raheen House north for the Gold Coast Cup (2400m).
Lees, who won the Gosford staying feature with Singing three years ago, said while Aliferous had drawn awkwardly in barrier 12 she would relish a soft track.
“She will appreciate the ground. I would have liked her to draw a bit softer but she is always capable on her day,” he said.
Raheen House will also enjoy a rain-affected surface at the Gold Coast and Lees said the out-of-form galloper was on notice to turn things around.
“He gets a wet track, right trip. If he doesn’t do something here we probably have to assess his future,” Lees said.
