Bjorn Baker’s star Overpass has extended his domination of WA’s best sprint races, claiming the Winterbottom Stakes for the second straight year.

Overpass has claimed back-to-back wins in the Winterbottom Stakes. (Photo: Western Racepix)

The six-year-old has already win the first two editions of WA’s richest race The Quokka and is now four from four at Ascot thanks to his pair of Winterbottom victories.

While Maharba abbreviated the margin to just under a length on the line, Overpass and Josh Parr had the race all but wrapped up when he speared away from the field having taken over from the early leader Bravo Centurion on straightening.

Parr piloted him towards the middle of the course and while Maharba closed late, weaving a passage through the inside, he had no hope of running Overpass down. Local outsider Hot Zed claimed third.

Overpass is the first horse to win the Winterbottom in back-to-back years since it was upgraded to Group 1 status in 2011 and has now taken his earnings to over $9.7 million, surpassing Western Australian legend Northerly, who also features on his pedigree as a half-brother to his grand-dam Boardwalk Bell.

He is also the lone Group 1 winner and the clear flagbearer for his sire, Vancouver, who now stands at Woodside Park, having begun his breeding career at Coolmore.

“Today he had to absorb a heap of pressure early and I was very worried after 200 metres and I thought he was super, super brave,” Baker said of Overpass.

“Massive shout out to Darby Racing, they're my biggest supporters.

“We've had a great day, one of the special days in racing. He's just a very, very special horse. The owners too, I don't know if we can call him a champion but he's getting very close.”

A $75,000 purchase for Darby Racing and Will Johnson Bloodstock at the 2020 Inglis Easter Sale, Overpass has proven a goldmine for his syndicate of owners.    

It was a seventh Group 1 win for Baker, who enjoyed success on both side of the country on Saturday after Arapaho won the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Caulfield.

The French-bred stayer had not won a race since his victory in the G1 Tancred Stakes in March last year, but with a well-timed ride by Rachel King, defeated Smokin Romans and Berkeley Square.

The other Group 2 at Caulfield, the Sandown Guineas, was taken out by the Ciaron Maher-trained Snitzel filly Snitzanova. It was her second straight stakes win after her recent success in the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Newcastle.

At Doomben, the $1.2 million Tony Gollan-trained filly Hi Barbie made a major impression on debut, winning the Listed Phelan Ready Stakes. She is by I Am Invincible out of Gollan’s former star Outback Barbie.

I Am Invincible had a stakes double on the day with Garza Blanca successful in the Listed Doveton Stakes, while Woodside Park's Shalaa had a banner day with Group 3 winner Welwal and Listed winner Eagle Nest.

Darley’s Street Boss also had a pair of stakes winners with Cashel Palace and The Boss Lady both successful at Ascot.

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