Overdose faces acid test at Baden-Baden
PUSH comes to shove on Sunday for Hungarian sprint sensation Overdose (Josef Roszival/Christophe Soumillon) when the ‘Budapest Bullet' bids to extend his winning sequence to 15 on his return to the international stage in the Group 2 Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden, a race At The Races are planning on screening live. (not sure if we will see on Tellytrack?)
The five-year-old's presence it set to attract a bumper crowd to Germany's most prestigious racecourse, newly reopened under new management after a financial crisis.
Overdose's fans are sure to back him in to short-priced favouritism but he faces what is likely to be the biggest test of his career - that infamous voided Prix de l'Abbaye apart - as he defends his unbeaten record against the best sprint field German racing has ever assembled.
Overdose won the Goldene Peitsche two seasons ago, before that fateful day in Paris when he set a searing pace to easily win the Abbaye in a fast time only for the event to be declared void because of a starting-gate malfunction.
Overdose ended his 2008 season with a ten-length demolition of an Italian Group 3 field on heavy ground and begun last year in the same vein with a comfortable comeback success in a minor event in Hungary.
That was when his foot problems, later diagnosed as laminitis, struck and he did not return to racing for 15 long months. When he did it was with a laboured half-length victory in poor company in Bratislava six weeks ago.
Although Overdose seemed much more like his old self when scoring by ten lengths in a Listed race in Budapest two weeks ago, he now faces a classy field of European sprinters including horses from Britain, Ireland and France, as well as top domestic hope Smooth Operator.
Although likely soft ground won't bother Overdose, his owner Zoltan Mikoczy is aware that the horse is facing the acid test. "We will find out on Sunday whether he has got back to Group-race level," he said.
"He is very well but the field is much tougher than it was in Budapest last time and in Bratislava. It is also looks a tougher Goldene Peitsche than the one he won two years ago. There are some very serious rivals and Overdose will have to be at his best to win."
Christophe Soumillon, onboard Overdose when he recorded his 12 win at Budapest in April 2009, regains the ride from Czech-based Gary Hind, who deputised for him on the horse's first two starts of 2010.
British runners have an excellent recent record in this showpiece with its 143-year-old golden whip winner's trophy but William Haggas has decided to re-route Triple Aspect to a Group 3 at the Curragh leaving Gilt Edge Girl (Clive Cox/Luke Morris) as Britain's sole representative in the Euro70,000 event.
She won a Group 3 at Leopardstown in June but, like the solitary Irish challenger, RockJock (Tracey Collins/Michael Hussey), needs to improve to make much impact against this calibre of opponent.
More serious opponents for Overdose include the French-trained pair Amico Fritz (Alex Pantall/Fabrice Veron) and War Artist (Alain de Royer-Dupre/Adrie de Vries), who both finished withinfour lengths of Starspangledbanner in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The former James Eustace-trained War Artist has the best career record of the trio, with five Group-race victories including the 2009 renewal of this event when Smooth Operator was second.
Smooth Operator (Mario Hofer/Terry Hellier) has also already been successful at Group 2 level in France and had the other pair miles in his wake at Deauville three weeks ago when he finished fourth toRegal Parade in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.
Trainer Mario Hofer is certainly bullish about his prospects of overturning Overdose. "I am confident of a excellent showing from Smooth Operator - he is in great form," hesaid.
"Overdose will have to be back to his very best to have a chance of beating us. The soft ground will suit and I definitely expect to reverse last year's placings with War Artist."
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