Baker: Overpass no-brainer for The Everest

Bjorn Baker believes his star sprinter Overpass is a "no-brainer" for one of the eight remaining slots in this year's $20m The Everest.

Overpass has been back in work for a couple of weeks as he builds for his return and the Warwick Farm-based trainer said the gelding has come back in better than ever shape.

"I've got no doubt he's a better racehorse now that he's a gelding," he said.

"He's definitely matured and if anything, he's come back even stronger this preparation.

"He's a horse that been very sound throughout his career so I think as he has got bigger and stronger, he has continued to improve."

The son of 2015 Golden Slipper winner Vancouver took it to a whole new level during his only campaign in 2023 and Baker said there was enough to see in his two runs to confirm why slot-holders should be jumping at the chance to secure Overpass.

"It's an easy case to make because his form this year has been as good as any," he said.

"To win first-up in Western Australia was a monumental effort because it was his first time racing left handed and he was able to beat the local superstar Amelia's Jewel on her own patch.

"Then a flight back across the country, four weeks between runs, and running second in the Doomben 10,000 was enormous.

"Giga Kick is a pretty decent yardstick when it comes to the Australian sprinting ranks."

Baker also highlighted the recent talk of the El Nino weather event as another positive factor for Overpass heading into the 2023 spring carnival.

Overpass is scheduled to return to the trials around the "middle of August" and past lessons have been learned, meaning the gelding will only have one run leading up to Australia's richest horse race.

"He'll resume in The Shorts but the plan is to copy his autumn campaign and go straight from there into The Everest with five weeks between runs," Baker said.

"When you look back through his career most of his best performances have come when he's on the fresh side.

"He beat Anamoe and Forbidden Love in the Expressway first-up, The Shorts last year was first-up when he got close to Nature Strip and he was fresh in his two runs this year in The Quokka and the Doomben 10,000.

"On form the horse should be in The Everest."

Overpass is priced as a $15 chance in TAB's market on The Everest.