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The Quokka's inaugural winner will return to defend his crown at Ascot this Saturday.
Overpass will be back at Ascot on Saturday to defend his crown, with RAM Racing and Bjorn Baker confirming they'll team up once again for The Quokka (1200m) worth $5 million in 2024.
Baker and the RAM Racing crew teamed up in 2023 to win the inaugural running of the feature race, defeating Amelia's Jewel and Bella Nipotina.
The son of Vancouver is undefeated in the west, taking out both The Quokka and the Winterbottom Stakes in 2023.
By Racing and Sports measure, Overpass ran to the same 119 figure to win both The Quokka and the Winterbottom but did run better ratings between those two efforts.
The gelding ran a R&S Rating of 122 in both the Doomben 10,000 in May and The Shorts, narrowly defeated by proper Group 1 horses in both events.
Bjorn Baker will follow the same path that saw Overpass victorious in last year's Quokka, heading into the race first-up having won his most recent trial on the 18th of March.
The five-year-old has run to a R&S Rating of 115 or better in his last four first-up efforts, a level that has seen him contest The Everest in the past two years.
In an important guide for punters, the trifecta from the 2023 edition have all been selected to run again, and all are running to the level they were when contesting this event last year.
The horses behind them have changed and this race does look to have more meat on the bones than last year's running, but the question remains whether the fresh blood will have what it takes to knock over the new 'king of the west'.
Overpass currently holds the highest R&S peak rating of the field and coupling that with his on-pace racing pattern, he'll go very close to defending his crown in 2024.
Despite jumping an $11 chance in 2023, Overpass has remained the second favourite in TABtouch's market for The Quokka.
He currently sits behind Amelia's Jewel at $3.10*, with Overpass a $4.60* elect and Oscar's Fortune on the third line of betting at $6*.
*Prices correct as of 12pm, April 17th.
About the Slot Holder: RAM Racing
The RAM Racing Syndicate, named after the RAM truck dealer in Rockingham WA, are major supporters of the Western Trilogy and possess slots in each of the three events. Their decision to support the race series reaped immediate dividends having won the inaugural running of The Quokka with Overpass.
The syndicate has already tasted slot race success in 2024, winning the $350,000 Bluff Knoll at Albany with Gemma's Son.
As well as Overpass in The Quokka, The RAM Racing Syndicate have also locked in Lavra Joe as their runner in the 2024 Nullarbor.
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