A former pharmacist is looking to make a splash at Royal Ascot with his first-ever runner at the famous festival despite boasting almost 1,500 wins Down Under
Bjorn Baker has discovered the prescription for success since turning his back on a career as a pharmacist to follow his father into the training business.
The Kiwi has become an adopted Aussie since moving to Sydney 15 years ago and nearly 1,500 wins later he arrives at Royal Ascot with his first-ever runner.
Overpass, who is favourite for the King Charles III Stakes on Tuesday, has amassed £6.7 million in prize money in a ten race winning career. And you could say the eight-year-old is the horse for the course, having already won at Ascot three times – the namesake racecourse in Perth, Western Australia, that is.
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Today he will attempt to become the seventh Aussie sprinter to capture the 5f Group 1, joining Asfoora, Nature Strip, Scenic Blast, Miss Andretti, Takeover Target and Choisir.
“Overpass has been a remarkable horse,” says Baker. “He is very much best when fresh, which means we space out his runs. The options were Brisbane or here, so given that we want to sell the dream worldwide, we decided to come here.
“Royal Ascot is one of the great carnivals, while the King Charles III Stakes is a very prestigious race. Added to the fact Australian sprinters have run very well here in the past, that gives us a bit of confidence.
“Early on in his career, he ran very well behind Nature Strip over 1,100 metres and you could argue that is his best distance.”
Although Overpass will be Baker’s first runner in Britain, he followed racing closely while he worked in both London and Dublin for four years as a practising pharmacist for drug company Merck, before returning to New Zealand to work with trainer father Murray.
“I worked in London for two years and then Dublin for two years in my young twenties,” he explains. “I was more working as a pharmacist and following the horses and going to a lot of the meetings. I used to follow it more as a fan than anything.
“But then racing ultimately won. I went back to New Zealand for four or five years and I’ve been in Sydney for 15. It’s been a remarkable journey and after 20 years of effort it’s going to be pretty special to be at Ascot. We’re going to make the most of it.”
Overpass heads the market in the 15:40 on Tuesday ahead of Night Raider. Rayevka will give a stern test of speed while last year’s winner American Affair is the tip of the Daily Star Sport’s chief tipster Jason Heavey.