Morton raises the bar in the Winterbottom Stakes

The Sessions five-year-old is quirky and enigmatic, but a stable favourite.

He’s teased and tantalised in some of his races, but when he can finally put all the pieces together there is a horse laden with a ton of ability.

That talent came under notice last year when he ran out of his skin in The Quokka, finish fifth and two lengths from Overpass at cricket score odds.

Getting near top shelf sprinters may have caught a few on the hop, but pre-race Morton was telling anyone who would listen that Saloon Bar had more than a fluker’s chance of winning.

Since the Quokka, Saloon Bar has gone some way to realising his potential by clinching his first major piece of silverware in the Listed Farnley Stakes (1400m) and placing in five Group and Listed events.

Three of those minor finishes have been his most recent with flashing back-marker runs in the Crawford Stakes (1000m), Prince of Wales Stakes (1000m) and the Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m).

Morton is of the opinion that the stronger the opposition the better that Saloon Bar will perform.

It’s a theory that will be put to test when he tackles the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday.

“Normally the better the race, the better he goes,” Morton said on Tabradio.

“He brings his A-game.

“He was at cricket-score odds in the Quokka, but I was bullish about him then.

“He’s improved since then and is more mature.

“I honestly couldn’t be happier with the prep that he’s had.

“This has been our grand final and if we’ve done our job he’s going to be peaking on Saturday.

“I wouldn’t be swapping him for too many in the race.”

Morton is back in Winterbottom contention after being in the thick of the action in three of the past four years.

Elite Street won in 2020 and was third to Graceful Girl the following year, while Kissonallforcheeks, ridden by Chris Parnham, was runner-up to interstate raider, Paulele two years back.

Morton has turned to Parnham’s older brother, Steven, to help him deliver a second Winterbottom Stakes trophy.

Morton believes Parnham’s understanding of Saloon Bar is pivotal to the gelding rising to the next level in elite company.

Saloon Bar has found his niche under Parnham, the pair regular partners in six of their past seven race appearances.

“Steven has got a real affiliation with him and a trust in the horse,” Morton said.

“Quite often he looks hopeless and off the bit, off the bit, but the more you keep at him he does finish.

“There are not too many horses that can be off the bridle for a long way out and still be rattling home.

“Steve’s been on him enough times to know and trust that he’s going to be there for him at the end.”

Parnham and Saloon Bar will plot a path from barrier 13 with pace on his outside including the hot shots Overpass (16) and Bravo Centurion (15).

“Happy and it’s away from the rail, anyway,” Morton said.

“The good speed outside of us might drag us forward a little bit.”

Behind $2.90 betting sites favourite and defending champion, Overpass, Saloon Bar is $21 with Tabtouch.