A week after pillaging the $5 million The Quokka aboard Overpass for the second year in succession, Josh Parr returns to Sydney racing at Rosehill intent on keeping his good form rolling.
Horse and jockey have proven unbeatable in Western Australia, not only winning The Quokka for the past two years but plundering the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes in between.
Parr said all credit belonged to trainer Bjorn Baker and his management of the gelding, while revealing Overpass’s length victory last weekend felt even better than his hard-fought success 12 months earlier.
“Last year, I actually thought we’d lost,” Parr said.
“I thought Amelia’s Jewel had got there and beaten us on the line, so it was a totally different feeling knowing we had won when we crossed the line.
“He’s a very good horse and he has been perfectly prepared by Bjorn.”
While Saturday’s benchmark meeting in Sydney is a long way from last weekend’s feature race buzz, Parr is hoping his combination with Baker can continue its momentum.
The pair team up in three races, including the Farewell James Ross Sprint (1100m) with Wategos.
The five-year-old rounded out his spring campaign with a solid sixth behind Attractable in the Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day, but he can perform fresh and has a handy record at Rosehill where he has won two of his four starts.
“I haven’t got a lot of race day experience on him, but I have on the (training) track,” Parr said.
“He does have a good first-up record and he’s going really well.”
Wategos has had early backing, firming from his opening quote of $13 into $8.50 on Thursday, while Parr’s remaining rides for Baker, Disneck ($26) and Shameonus ($34) will have to overcome awkward draws in their respective assignments.
Parr is also looking forward to reuniting with the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Green Shadows ($5.50) in the Phillip Picone Handicap (1500m).
The hoop was aboard for the four-year-old’s first-up win at Warwick Farm on April 1 and said the horse was ready for a grade rise to Saturday company.
“He is a more mature horse than we’ve seen in the past,” Parr said.
“He still has his quirks, but I think he has a lot more confidence in himself and that was evident when he won at Warwick Farm and he actually raced away from the field – he has never done that before in his career.
“He has been known to run seconds and thirds and possibly be thinking a little bit about the result.”
While Parr will stay close to home for the next two Saturdays, his partnership with Overpass is again expected to take him north in the coming weeks.
After finishing runner-up to Giga Kick in the Doomben 10,000 last year, Overpass and Parr will get a chance to go one better in the Group 1 on May 18, the horse a $5 second favourite behind I Wish I Win at $3.50.