Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
Baker duo go head-to-head
Bjorn Baker’s sprinting Group 1 winners Overpass (Vancouver) and Caballus (I Am Invincible) gapped the rest of the field in the Open heat at Randwick over 740 metres. A half-head separated them on the line with two lengths back to the rest.
Overpass and Chris Waller-trained 3-year-old filly Cosmo Girl (Home Affairs) jumped best with the filly showing poor racing manners out wide for jockey James McDonald. It took McDonald most of the trial to get the debut winner settled, while Overpass, under Tim Clark, cruised down the centre of the track.
Caballus, for jockey Tommy Berry, tracked up next to Overpass and looked to be doing it easier than Overpass. The pair quickly put a gap on the rest of the field and just when it looked like Caballus would cruise to a win, Overpass’ competitive spirit kicked in and he kept his nose in front.
“Both of them were great, we are very happy. Overpass is in good order, he travelled home from Ascot and hasn’t missed a beat,” stable representative Luke Hilton told TTR.
“Both of them were great, we are very happy. Overpass is in good order, he travelled home from Ascot and hasn’t missed a beat.” - Luke Hilton
“They’ll both run first up on Everest day, whether that’s the Everest or the Sydney Stakes, we’ll see. Overpass is proven to be very good first up. He won the Sydney Stakes fresh on that day in 2024 and was fourth in the Everest last year when first up.
“Caballus is also good fresh, and was first up in the Sydney Stakes last year when an unlucky fifth.”
Overpass, a $75,000 purchase by Darby Racing from the COVID-affected Inglis Easter Yearling Sale part two, hasn’t raced since running 13th in the G1 Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June this year. He was third in the G1 King Charles III Stakes (formerly the G1 King’s Stand Stakes) at the same track the start prior.
Luke Hilton | Image courtesy of Bjorn Baker Racing
The 8-year-old gelding has been one of the stalwarts of the sprinting scene for several seasons with 10 victories among his 36 starts with earnings over $12.9 million. He was fourth in last year’s G1 The Everest, didn’t run in 2024, was tenth in 2023, and sixth in 2022.
The writing was on the wall early as to his class. Overpass debuted as an April 2-year-old back in 2021 and won three of his first four starts. He’s excelled in the west, winning the G1 Winterbottom Stakes twice, and almost winning it again last year when second to the now-retired Libertad. He's also won The Quokka twice.
His dam, Walkway (Exceed And Excel), has a 2-year-old colt by Stay Inside, a yearling colt by Anamoe and is in foal to Toronado (Ire).
Napoleonic bolts home
G1 Golden Eagle nominated Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett {GB}) had a tune up over 1050 metres, bolting home by nearly three lengths for jockey Zac Lloyd. The John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained 4-year-old entire began his spring campaign with a tough second to Ninja (Farnan) in the G2 Missile Stakes in early August.
The Pinecliff Racing-owned entire jumped nicely and was slotted back on the rail to follow the leader Our Emperor (Stay Inside), ridden by Tim Clark. When Clark pushed Our Emperor out, he responded, but Napoleonic cruised by under a hold to score by 2.96 lengths.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable provided the second and third placed horses with Our Emperor finishing ahead of Surfin’ Bird (The Autumn Sun) who came from mid-field to finish nicely into third.
The Group 1 winning colt Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) was disappointing. He travelled okay in mid-field for jockey James McDonald but found nothing and was last.
Napoleonic was sold by Widden Stud at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $360,000 to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock, and he’s since earned $560,000 from his 12 starts. The entire, like many of his ilk, mixes his form a little, but when he’s on, he’s impressive.
Placed at two, he won three of his four starts as a spring 3-year-old including the G3 Red Anchor Stakes. In the autumn, he had three group placings from five starts including third in the G1 Doomben Cup behind Rothfire (Rothesay) and Spicy Martini (Justify {USA}) who won the G1 Stradbroke Handicap at her next start.
Napoleonic as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
A half-brother to More Than Ready (USA)-sired pair of Group 3 winner Ready Set Sail and stakes placed Set The Sails, Napoleonic is out of four-time city winner Jolie Brise (Fastnet Rock). Her 3-year-old filly Josain (Zousain) had two starts at two last season, and is followed by a Zousain yearling filly. Jolie Brise is in foal to Farnan.
Farnicle impressive late over 1050 metres
G2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes-placed Farnicle (Farnan) has been off the scene for a year but produced a flashy run for second in his second public outing since last spring. Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Farnicle, now a 4-year-old gelding, was ridden by Regan Bayliss in a 1050 metre trial.
Mighty Ulysses (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Asgarda (The Brothers War {USA}) and Chix (Flying Artie) jumped well together with John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Chix taking the lead. Farnicle jumped okay and settled at the rear, second last. Chix cruised to the lead and looked like winning by several lengths while Farnicle did nothing much in mid-field.
Video: Watch Chix's trial replay at Randwick, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Scrubbed up by Bayliss at the final furlong, Farnicle showed a good sprint to fly past the rest of them and close the gap to Chix to 1.6 lengths. Asgarda was another length back in third.
Farnicle was a $600,000 sale by Kia Ora Stud to his trainers and Kestrel Bloodstock at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale. He is the first foal of G1 New Zealand Oaks victrix Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}). Her 3-year-old filly Fovea (Farnan) is unraced and she has a 2-year-old filly Meet The Market (I Am Invincible) who made $850,000 at this year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Jennifer Eccles is in foal to Farnan.
Makybe Diva scratchings jump at Flemington
Chris Waller-trained trio of Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvechio), Birdman (Ire) (Free Eagle {Ire}) and Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock) were scratched from Saturday’s G1 Makybe Diva Stakes. Aeliana is set to gallop after the first at Rosehill on Saturday with Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun).
Birdman and Buckaroo were sent around at Flemington for a 1000 metre jump out on Friday morning. The pair jumped a little slow and were soon left flatfooted by Lindsay Park-trained Chase Your Dreams (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) who bolted to a 10 length lead. Sinister Sauce (The Autumn Sun) became a clear second placed runner with a similar huge gap to Buckaroo who was third with Birdman close in fourth.
Chase Your Dream (NZ) as a yearling | Image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Chase Your Dreams was third in the 2025 G1 Queensland Derby and the now 5-year-old mare didn’t achieve much as a 4-year-old in five starts. She has three wins prior to that but certainly looks like she’s come back stronger with this effort.
Beckam Equine sold her for NZ$40,000 to Patella Bloodstock at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, and she is a full sister to stakes placed Follow Your Dreams (NZ).
Her 3-year-old half-sister State Secret (NZ) (Sword Of State) was a winner on debut in late August.
