Overpass aiming to be King of Ascot

ASCOT – Top jockey Joshua Parr is confident the experienced Overpass will handle the vagaries of the Royal Ascot straight course in the £700,000 (S$1.2 million) Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1,000m) on June 16.

Parr put the Vancouver seven-year-old through his paces at a Royal Ascot track gallop on June 12 with the sprinter getting familiar with the undulating nature of the course, and particularly the steep incline about 100m from the finish.

“I was pleased with his work and he came up the straight there really well,” said Parr.

“I’m glad he has had a look at the track and has felt the hill now.”

Parr said the Royal Ascot is very different to what Overpass has experienced in his 36-start career.

“Our tracks are quite flat which does suit his style of racing,” said the Sydney jockey.

“So, it’s a significant change to what he’s used to but I think he’ll handle it okay.”

Overpass has won Group 1 races at 1,200m, such as two Winterbottom Stakes in Perth, but Parr is convinced the gelding’s best chance of winning at Royal Ascot is the June 16 race over 1,000m.

Known as the King’s Stand Stakes until 2023, the King Charles III has laid the foundation of a rich tradition of leading Australian sprinters at the royal meeting.

Choisir began the trend by winning it in 2003 and has since been followed by Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009), Nature Strip (2022) and Asfoora (2024).

“It’s a test and he certainly felt the pinch the last little bit,” said Parr of Overpass’ track gallop.

“But he had a nice hit-out and a good, solid blow. So he should recover well and be right on track for Tuesday.”

Trainer Bjorn Baker said Overpass has also had the benefit of doing trackwork up and down the hills at Lambourn where the 10-time winner is stabled at Charlie Hills’ yard.

“He’s been going up and down at the gallops there and handling it well,” said Baker.

Overpass is the early 5-2 favourite with most British wagering operators.

A 12-time Group 1 winner in Australia, Baker admitted it is difficult to get an appreciation of the form of the elite English and European sprinters likely to take on Overpass in the Group 1 sprint.

“It’s hard to know what we’re up against,” said the New Zealand-born handler who is at his first UK visit as a trainer.

“But the market suggests Overpass goes in with a good chance if he finds his best form.

“He looks good and has been consistently great the last year or so. He’s been special for my stable and Darby Racing, he’s been the backbone of a lot of our success.”

The other Australian King Charles III contender, Henry Dwyer’s Asfoora, did not need to go to the trackwork session as she has had plenty of exposure at Royal Ascot.

She won the King Charles III Stakes in 2024 and ran fifth in 2025. The globetrotting mare also captured the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1,000m) four months later.

Voted the 2025 European Champion sprinter, the Flying Artie seven-year-old is rated a 12-1 chance for the big race on Tuesday.

Australia’s third Ascot runner Joliestar will race in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1,200m) on June 20 in a bid to hand champion trainer Chris Waller a second Ascot success after Nature Strip.

Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said it was all systems go for the Zoustar mare, who won the Group 1 TJ Smith (1,200m) on April 4 at her last start in Australia.

“I couldn’t be happier with her pace work this morning. I’d imagine she’ll have another piece of work next Tuesday and we’ll then wrap her up in cotton wool for Saturday.” RACING AND SPORTS