Nineteen horses will contest the straight-track sprint, the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, with Overpass accepted after his strong third in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Trainer Bjorn Baker confirmed Overpass has recovered well from his Tuesday run and believes the seven-year-old gelding will appreciate the 1200-metre distance of Saturday’s race.
Joliestar, the long-time favourite for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, has drawn barrier nine, and Overpass will start from gate seven.
The straight course has been favouring runners on the grandstand side, but with warm weather forecast, the track is expected to even out.
The middle draws for Joliestar (James McDonald) and Overpass (Josh Parr) give their riders options to find the best part of the track.
Joliestar remains the 9/4 ($3.25) favourite with English bookmakers, ahead of Japan’s Satono Reve at 5/1 and William Haggas’s Lake Forest at 10/1. Overpass is a 20/1 chance.
Satono Reve, a two-time Group 1 winner in Japan, was a very good, albeit unlucky, second to Lazzat in last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.
Both Joliestar and Satono Reve have competed against the world’s best sprinter, Hong Kong’s Ka Ying Rising.
Joliestar finished less than two lengths behind Ka Ying Rising when fifth in The Everest in Sydney last spring.
Satono Reve has finished second to Ka Ying Rising twice in the Hong Kong Chairman’s Sprint Prizes, in 2025 and again earlier this year.
Lake Forest is well-known to Australian racing fans after winning the Golden Eagle two years ago.
Haggas brought Lake Forest back to Sydney for The Everest last spring, but he didn’t perform, finishing last at Randwick and seventh in the Champions Mile at Flemington behind Ceolwulf.
Lake Forest looks back to his best after a dominant win by over five lengths at Haydock last month.
Cieron Fallon, who won the Golden Eagle on Lake Forest, rides him on Saturday, with stablemate Almeraq (25/1) to be ridden by Tom Marquand.
Find the best racing betting markets for the Jubilee Stakes.