Overpass looks to come back west after 2025 Doomben 10,000

Overpass may have suffered a rare defeat in WA, but the accomplished sprinter is set for another tilt at the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) later this year, with a return to Perth already in the works.

Before that, the son of Vancouver will line up in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 (1200m), his final run of the prep before a well-earned break.

Overpass was unplaced for the first time in WA when fifth behind Jokers Grin in the Quokka (1200m) at Ascot, bringing an end to his flawless record in the west.

Scott Darby from Darby Racing admitted the defeat was tough to take but said lessons had been learned, particularly around the horse’s second-up profile following his run in the T.J. Smith Stakes.

“We were naturally very disappointed,” Darby said on Tabradio.

“We thought we could bypass his second up stat.

“That’s not going to happen in the future.

“He’s either going to have to be well and truly spaced between his first and second run, not that it was a bad run, but certainly below par.

“I think he puts in so much first up, he really puts in but probably leaves him a little bit flat second up.

“He sort of fires up again third up and that’s what his stats says, so we kinda of have to work around that now.”

With the Brisbane weather set to deliver a rain-affected track, Darby’s expectations are tempered.

“Pretty low at the moment,” he said when asked about his confidence level.

“If you look at his record on a heavy track it’s duck eggs.

“Unfortunately, there’s no other race to go to.

“He’s not dead-set hopeless, but much, much better on top of the ground.”

After Saturday, Overpass will be spelled and brought back for a Sydney spring campaign targeting the Sydney Stakes or The Everest, before another crack at the Winterbottom.

Overpass jumps from barrier 10 with Joshua Parr in the saddle and is currently second in betting at $5.50 behind Sunshine In Paris ($4.60).

Track Overpass’s run in the Doomben 10,000 and future targets like the Everest and Winterbottom Stakes through Australia’s best betting sites.