Races

Runner by Runner: Winterbottom Stakes

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

1. Overpass (58.5kg)

Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Nash Joshua Parr
Barrier: 16

Nearly feels like a local considering his Western Australian success. All the way winner in the inaugural running of the $4 million Quokka 2023, dynamite winner of the $1.5 million Winterbottom Stakes later that same year and then returned to defend his crown in the $5 million Quokka in 2024. He’s been to Perth 3 times for 3 wins. They’re all 1200m, they’re all WFA, they’re all Josh Parr and they’re all from nearly the identical spot in running. First-up this campaign he led and won the Sydney Stakes at Group 3 Level and went faster than Bella Nipotina did in winning in The Everest, same track/distance/conditions. The run at Flemington in the VRC Classic will have a few questioning him, but ultimately he’s finished less than 1L off Giga Kick and beaten home Lady Laguna by half a length. He’s the one to beat (again) even after the barrier draw.

2. Western Empire (58.5kg)

Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams
Jockey: William Pike
Barrier: 4

Is an absolute ripper. Left WA at the end of 2021 as the winner of a Lex Piper Stakes (1600), JC Roberts Stakes (1800), Melvista Stakes (2200), WATC Derby (2400), Asian Beau Stakes (1400) and Railway Stakes (1600). A 7 start Victorian career produced very little (put kindly) and saw him placed on the Inglis Online Sale in October 2023 where he was purchased for $150,000 and returned to his original home with Grant & Alana Williams in Perth. He’s now added a Northam Stakes (1300) and Belmont Sprint (1400) to his incredible CV and going off his fresh run in the Colonel Reeves behind Rope Them In who he meets 3.5kg better for being beaten three quarters of a length you would be a brave man to suggest he isn’t one of the main players in the Winterbottom. Back in a big way and the biggest winner at the barrier draw.

3. Red Can Man (58.5kg)

Trainer: Steve Wolfe
Jockey: Shaun O’Donnell
Barrier: 11

Has been a wonderful horse for connections but the now 8 year old looks past his best and with his long-time partner and stable hoop Shaun McGruddy jumping ship to ride younger stablemate Rope Them In it only further evidences the observation. You would think this is his last tilt at a Winterbottom Stakes and while it’s only 11 months since he won the Crawford in 2023 it would seem that he has lost a bit of his sharpness. Fairetha Stakes (2019), H.G Bolton Stakes (2020), Group Three Monash Stakes at Caulfield a career highlight (2021) and a Crawford Stakes (2023) and a string of an incredible 13 Group and Listed Placings across a brilliant career that commenced as a 2 year old way back in January 2019 at Ascot. Without Elite Street he could have been WA’s best sprinter and won many more races.

4. Hot Zed (58.5kg)

Trainer: Lou Luciani
Jockey: Jason Whiting
Barrier: 2

Underestimate Hot Zed and brave the wrath of Lou Luciani, and Hot Zed has been a horse who has exceeded market expectations each and every time he’s raced at WFA in the big features: 2022 Winterbottom went around 60-1 and finished fourth, 2022 Gold Rush went around 40-1 and finished sixth, 2023 Quokka went around 60-1 and finished fifth and in the 2023 Winterbottom he went around $10 off the back of a Colonel Reeves (1100) victory and finished sixth. Ultimately, he has been just a length or two below the Elite, but never far from them. Regardless of whether he draws barrier 1 or barrier 16, regardless of whether he sits one out and one back or four deep the trip, he’ll give 110% – that’s Hot Zed.

5. Maharba (58.5kg)

Trainer: Grahame Begg
Jockey: Jordan Childs
Barrier: 6

Won a Listed Talindert Stakes as a 2 year old in February 2023 and again tasted Listed success at Mornington in the Hareeba Stakes in April 2024. This campaign he has raised the bar again, running third at Group Two Level in the Schillaci (1100m WFA) at Caulfield behind Bellatrix Star and WA galloper Oscar’s Fortune at 60-1 before taking out his first Group race in the Chatham Stakes (1200m Handicap) on Derby Day when getting up at 20-1 beating Rey Magnerio, who came out and won a Listed race 7-days later to frank the form. Returns to WFA in the Winterbottom and tackles Group One Level for only the second time in his life, and the first time outside his own age group. Will need to improve again but the draw is perfect for him.

6. Saloon Bar (58.5kg)

Trainer: Daniel Morton
Jockey: Steven Parnham
Barrier: 13

Went around in a 72+ 1200 on 30 March 2024, when splitting Laced Up Heels and Almighty Class. From there Danny Morton threw him in the deep end into the 2024 Quokka when jumping 100-1 but finishing powerfully along the fence into fifth behind Overpass, Amelia’s Jewel, Oscar’s Fortune and Bella Nipotina. That rating still sits as a ~5L career best performance so he was definitely dragged forwards by the Stars of the race and while he has finished second to Bravo Centurion on two occasions (Crawford and Prince of Wales) and third to Rope Them In and Western Empire he has been beaten fair and square on every occasion. Chasing hard, running strong L600 sections, but his only feature win was on a Soft6 over 1400m beating Triple Jay and Ginger Baker. Would need everything to go his way in the three deep line.

7. Man Crush (58.5kg)

Trainer: Luke Fernie
Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter
Barrier: 7

Has raced in Group or Listed Company on 15 occasions for 5 minor placings. He did win a Pinjarra Magic Millions as a 3 year old but that is Restricted Listed Company and worth remembering the third horse was Divine Inanna who at that stage was a maiden and even now is only a m64 Class Two galloper. Red Can Man / Hot Zed beat him in last year’s Crawford, Snowdome beat him in last year’s Prince Of Wales, Boots Like Bruce beat him in this year’s H.G Bolton and Belmont Newmarket and most recently he was 8L off Rope Them In, Western Empire, Saloon Bar, Almighty Class, Rockin’ Rupert, Snowdome, Boots like Bruce, Hot Zed and Crippalenko. Great earner but history says he’s an 84+ ratings horse.

8. Snowdome (58.5kg)

Trainer: Neville Parnham
Jockey: Brad Parnham
Barrier: 10

Burst onto the scene as a 2 year old winning the Group Three WA Sires over 1400m and returned in a blaze of glory as a 3 year old when sitting three deep the trip without cover to win the final running of the 3 year old Classic before it was renamed the Max Simmonds Stakes. Went through his grades winning a 66+, 72+, 78+ and then hit a career peak rating of m100 when taking out the Group Three Prince of Wales Stakes (1100m WFA) when beating Man Crush in a head bobbing finish. Since then he has had four runs only, beaten 7L in the 2023 Winterbottom, beaten 5.5L in the Bluff Knoll, beaten 3.8L in the Rock Magic Stakes and first-up this campaign beaten 3.4L in the Colonel Reeves in his first run as a gelding. He is only 5 but he might also be right on his mark all of a sudden. Would need a massive spike second-up to figures in the finish.

9. Rope Them In (58.5kg)

Trainer: Steve Wolfe
Jockey: Shaun McGruddy
Barrier: 9

A bit like Bravo Centurion and Almighty Class, is the new kid on the block and part of the next wave of WA Sprinters. Two time winning 2 year old, three time winning 3 year old (66+, 2x 72+) and first-up winner this campaign as a 4 year old as connections, rider and trainer debated whether he was a Railway Stakes or Winterbottom Stakes type. Second-up defeat over 1400m settled the argument and from there it was all about getting him into the Winterbottom. From a ratings perspective he probably would have snuck into the final 16 anyway, but Steve Wolfe threw the blinkers on in the Colonel Reeves as they chased ballot exemption and it paid dividends with a sweeping victory over Western Empire and Saloon Bar. SWP to WFA is a massive step but he’s still on the improve.

10. Boots Like Bruce (58.5kg)

Trainer: Anne King
Jockey: Alan Kennedy
Barrier: 14

Was protested against on more than one occasion in his early career as he showed raw but extremely wayward ability. Throughout his career they’ve tried a tongue tie, blinkers, visors, winkers and a compression hood with ear muffs to try and get him to put his mind on the job, but in the end Bruce will be Bruce. The 2024 Belmont winter was his breakout, winning an H.G Bolton Stakes and a Belmont Newmarket in back to back features. Reviewing those races they were: 1) at Belmont not Ascot, 2) on rain affected tracks, and 3) beating fellow roughies Man Crush and Saloon Bar. With Boots Like Bruce nothing would shock you but his two runs back have been 5L below his best.

11. Bravo Centurion (58.5kg)

Trainer: Luke Fernie
Jockey: Chris Parnham
Barrier: 15

Only 122 days ago on the 31st of July he resumed in a 1000m maiden at Belmont Park and now he is lining up in a Group One Winterbottom Stakes looking to win his seventh straight race. Maiden, Class One, 60+ Graduation, 68+, Crawford Stakes (Listed SWP) and a Prince of Wales Stakes (Group 3 WFA) are the six races he has won this preparation and his most recent was by far his most impressive. He ran a blistering 57:72 and won by nearly 4L over rivals Saloon Bar, Crippalenko, Boots Like Bruce and Red Can Man. Post-race Luke Fernie announced his masterplan to bypass the Colonel Reeves and instead trial on the Monday instead. The barrier…well he’s inside Overpass? The trial…fair? 1200m at WFA…suspect? But boy he’s a raw and exciting sprinter with a high cruising speed and a dynamite kick.

12. Rockin’ Rupert (58.5kg)

Trainer: Sean & Jake Casey
Jockey: Lucy Fiore
Barrier: 3

Sean Casey knows a good sprinter, he’s had plenty of them, none better than Vega Magic, and he has always maintained in post-race interviews that Rockin’ Rupert belongs at the top level. Until this preparation the highest graded race he had contested was a 72+ (beaten 2L) and the highest grade he has won in is a 66+ victory in the middle of winter at Belmont Park beating Justabittapress and Vampi At Play. They’re not names synonymous with a Winterbottom Stakes, however, first-up in the Colonel Reeves when tested against some of the best local chances he held his own when luckless visually and strong late sectionally. In the end though, there’s a 78+ 1200m race on Saturday and he would be carrying 56.5kg. It’s a big throw at the stumps in a Winterbottom but three back the fence isn’t a bad spot for a horse like him.

13. Almighty Class (58.5kg)

Trainer: Mitchell Pateman
Jockey: Jarrad Noske
Barrier: 5

Broke his maiden in the 2023 Max Simmonds Stakes (1000 SWP) before being nabbed on the line in the Belgravia Stakes (1200 SWP) by a boom filly Super Smink and soon after was locked in and announced as one of the first horses to line up in the 2024 Quokka. Ultimately it was too much too soon for him and he was below his best when finishing 12th as a 60-1 chance beaten over 5L behind Overpass. Returning as a 4 year old this campaign he is bigger, better and most importantly a far more polished race horse. First-up 72+ win – electric, second-up 78+ win – arrogant, third-up run in the Colonel Reeves he was parked three deep throughout without any luck and still loomed the winner on straightening before fading late. Unfortunately for Holly Watson she copped a suspension out of the race, great pick up for Jarrad Noske. Best of the double figure chances easily.

14. Crippalenko (58.5kg)

Trainer: Greg Beauglehole
Jockey: Patrick Carbery
Barrier: 8

Has been a brilliant horse and money earner so far for owner, trainer and breeder Greg Beauglehole, and that’s even after having been disqualified from two races! His first three runs this campaign produced a Ron Sayers Memorial Sprint win at Kalgoorlie, another 66+ ratings race victory at Ascot over 1000m and a third placing in the Prince of Wales Stakes behind Bravo Centurion and Saloon Bar. He’s a feel good story as a homebred horse heading to a Group One but putting emotion to the side he’s going to jump 150/200-1 by the time the barriers open on Saturday afternoon.

15. Lady Laguna (56.5kg)

Trainer: Neasham & Archibald 
Trainer: James McDonald
Barrier: 1

Won a 2 year old race on debut in November 2021 at Eagle Farm and since then has raced nearly exclusively in Black Type events. She has had 30 starts in her career to date and of those 5 have been at Group One Level, 4 have been at Group Two Level, 10 have been at Group Three Level and another 5 at Listed Level. First-up this campaign she was beaten 4L behind Overpass in the Sydney Stakes but second-up she finished third to Bella Nipotina and Sunshine In Paris in the Russell Balding. She’s already a Group One winner, having taken out the Canterbury Stakes (1300 WFA) at Randwick in March beating Think About It, Espiona and Coal Crusher and James McDonald has ridden her three times for two wins and a narrow second. There’s a lot to like but barrier 1 may divide opinions.

16. Laced Up Heels (56.5kg)

Trainer: Luke Fernie
Jockey: Joseph Azzopardi
Barrier: 12

Will forever be remembered as the filly who upset Amelia’s Jewel on Melbourne Cup Day 2022 in the Burgess Queen Stakes. Amazingly, since that day she has had 16 starts and only won one single race, a 72+ ratings race where she beat Saloon Bar and Almighty Class in a three-way photo. Luke Fernie dropped her back into Fillies & Mares Grade last start and put a set of blinkers on for the first time in the hope that she could return to her best, but she finished 4L from the winner and carried the same weight at SWP as she will here at WFA. Another roughie.

SELECTION: OVERPASS

In a race with a lot of roughies (8 of the 16 are likely to jump 60-1+) there doesn’t look to be that many legitimate winning chances. Overpass was brilliant in the Sydney Stakes and if he had come directly to Perth off that run, he would be $2, not $3. From the barrier he will slide across with Bravo Centurion as they look to cross those underneath them and trusting in Bjorn Baker that he can get him to bounce out of his run in the VRC Classic and make it four trips to WA for four feature wins: 2x Quokkas + 2x Winterbottoms.

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