Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Overpass fighting fit for spring resumption
The spring festivities are set to continue for Bjorn Baker, as stable stalwart Overpass (Vancouver) put the polish on his preparations with another smooth trial win at Hawkesbury on Tuesday morning.
The 8-year-old gelding took up his customary spot up front and came home strongly ahead of Dance To The Boom (Exceedance) by just over a length, with Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) in third. He won his first trial in a similarly strong manner.
Darby Racing’s $12.7 million earner was a $75,000 purchase during the second half of the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in 2021, and boasts 10 wins in 38 starts. Fourth in last year’s G1 The Everest, he 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 at the same track the start prior.
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).
Satono Glow reloads with stylish trial win
Fresh from victory in the G3 Cap D’Antibes Stakes, John O’Shea and Tom Charlton’s Satono Glow (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) put in a sizzler of a trial performance at Hawkesbury on Tuesday. The 3-year-old filly jumped smartly alongside I Am Carrot (Castelvecchio) before sneaking up the rails to overtake.
Once on the straight, she needed little urging to extend out and win by a length and a half over the gelding.
Video: Watch Satono Glow's trial replay at Hawkesbury, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A NZ$260,000 purchase for her trainers and James Bester Bloodstock from the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, Satono Glow is out of Electrode (NZ) (Pins), a winning half-sister to Group winner So Wotif (Iffraaj {GB}) and stakes winner Bonniegirl (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Electrode has progeny by Profondo and Ace High to follow, and visited Circus Maximus (Ire) last spring.
Baker duo sharpen up for spring
Compensation (Written Tycoon) and I Am Dirty (I Am Invincible) went one-two for the Baker stable in one of the later heats at Hawkesbury on Tuesday morning. The winner of his last three starts in the autumn, Compensation took up the front-running position in his first trial of the preparation, and pulled away to win by a solid length on the line.
Winner of the Listed Bill Carter Stakes in her last preparation, smart 3-year-old I Am Dirty camped out further back before turning on the jets to pass the rest of the field and finish second to her stablemate.
Video: Watch Compensation's trial replay at Hawkesbury, video courtesy of Racing NSW
A $150,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Baker’s Womens’ Syndicate and his bloodstock agent Jim Clarke (FBAA), Compensation is out of a half-sister to Group performer and stakes producer Snogging (I Am Invincible), from the family of multiple Group 1 winner El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking).
Baker and Clarke purchased I Am Dirty at the same venue a year later for $600,000. She is the first foal out of the Group 3-winning sprinter Dirty Thoughts (So You Think {NZ}), who has offspring by I Am Invincible and Zoustar to follow, and was served by The Autumn Sun last spring.
Big-striding Ole Kirk colt fires warning
There might have been only three runners in the juvenile heat at Hawkesbury on Tuesday but Prince Kirk (Ole Kirk) made sure to steal the show. Having to work round the outside of his two adversaries, the Bjorn Baker-trained colt never let eventual runner-up Toytown (Lucky Vega {Ire}) get his nose in front, and strode forward over the final furlong to win by a neck.
Video: Watch Prince Kirk's trial replay at Hawkesbury, video courtesy of Racing NSW
Prince Kirk runs in the Myracehorse colours, who also owned his G3 Breeders’ Plate-winning full brother King Kirk (Ole Kirk). Myracehorse, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing, and Belmont Bloodstock (FBAA) went to $400,000 to secure a weanling full sister at the Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale earlier this year.
Dam Oxford Angel (Nicconi) is a winning half-sister to Listed winner and Group performer Oxford Poet (Dylan Thomas {Ire}). She unfortunately slipped her foal this season.
