The second elite level of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival lights up Ascot Racecourse on the weekend with Bjorn Baker‘s defending champ Overpass heading betting on the Winterbottom Stakes 2024 field.

Sixteen top summer sprinters face off in this Saturday’s Group 1 $1.5 million Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in WA with markets on the lucrative event dominated by last year’s winner, Overpass, looking to go back-to-back.

Buffering (2013 & 2015) was the last two-time Winterbottom Stakes winner, but no horse has won on successive years since Hardrada (2002-03).

Vancouver six-year-old Overpass suffered an early blow drawing the far outside alley in the Winterbottom out wide in gate 16 of 16.

Historically however wide gates have been a non-issue with the past six Winterbottom Stakes champs all jumping from double-digit barriers including Graceful Girl from 16 in 2021.

Overpass is a two-time $4 million The Quokka winner at Ascot and has had two lead-up runs this campaign.

Fresh on October 19 after a lengthy let-up he won the lucrative Group 3 Sydney Stakes at Randwick in barnstorming fashion.

He was last seen racing down the Flemington straight on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival when only three lengths eighth to Sunshine In Paris in the Group 1 Champions Sprint.

Back in WA, third-up and fit, he looks a huge chance to atone and return to winning form at $3.30 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

The danger occupying the second line of Winterbottom Stakes betting following very closely at $3.70 is the local Grant & Alana Williams-trained Western Empire.

The evergreen seven-year-old is second-up after running second fresh in the Group 3 Colonel Reeves.

He’s been out of the winners’ stall since May but is a genuine Ascot specialist (13:6-3-3) including his Gr 1 Railway win over the mile here a few years back.

Winless at the distance but the punters won’t be deterred with plenty of money rolling in on this early market mover.

Western Empire is versatile and looks back to his best, the veteran boasting plenty of experience and looking ready to salute from gate four with William Pike in the saddle.

The next best in the markets at $5 is the rails-drawn Lady Laguna for Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald.

The season’s top jockey, James McDonald, is over in Perth for the ride on the five-year-old Overshare mare who also comes off a Champions Sprint run under four lengths back 10th.

She was sixth to Overpass in the Sydney Stakes with a third behind bonny mare Bella Nipotina in the Russell Balding in between so brings in some strong form lines.

The Grahame Begg-trained Maharba is the last of the current single-figure fancies drawn in barrier six for Jordan Childs to ride.

A four-year-old Pride Of Dubai gelding, Maharba has strong 1200m form (8:3-3-1) including a last start Group 3 Rising Fast Stakes win at Flemington on Derby Day.

For value, Luke Fernie‘s airborne Bravo Centurion in gate 15 at $10 looks attractive on a six straight winning streak.

The four-year-old is two-from-two at Ascot and is proven at 1200m having carried 60kg to victory over the distance back in August.

His latest four runs and wins have all been over 1000m however including the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes here on November two.

He was enormous in that winning by nearly four lengths suggesting he’ll be fine up in trip as one to watch in the Group 1 this weekend.

The 2024 Winterbottom Stakes is scheduled to run as Ascot Race 8 at 4:52pm (AWST).