Racing
The BYD Quokka 2026 Runner Profile – Caballus
Bjorn Baker and RAM Racing will team up again in The Quokka.
Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Owner: Darby Racing
Slot Holder: RAM Racing
Horse: not Overpass?
After seven trips West, two Quokka's and two Winterbottom's with Overpass, Bjorn Baker has decided it's time for some new blood and will send last-start Group 1 winner Caballus for this year's The Quokka (1200m).
Now in its fourth year, the $5 million sprint is set to be run on April 18th at Ascot Racecourse, and Bjorn Baker will be looking to reclaim the trophy after the locals pried it away last year, courtesy of Bernie Miller, Patrick Carbery and Jokers Grin.
With Overpass beaten at his past three attempts in Perth, Bjorn Baker brings a more than capable replacement this year in the form of Caballus, who is also owned by Darby Racing, and the similarities don't end there.
Before Overpass won the inaugural The Quokka in 2023, he held a peak rating of 118 at Racing & Sports, achieved winning the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) over Forbidden Love and Anamoe.
Caballus holds the exact same peak RAS rating of 118, achieved last start when taking the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
Both horses are natural leaders and were very savvy purchases by Darby Racing, who paid $75,000 for Overpass and $315,000 for Caballus.
Now deep into his five-year-old season, Caballus has really started to hit his straps, winning four of his past seven including the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington last time out.
While the sample size is small, that sort of rating and profile is exactly what a Quokka winner looks like.
Overpass ran to 119 and 118 at Racing & Sports in his two wins, while Jokers Grin ran to 116 last year.
In those past seven starts, Caballus has run 112, 116, 104, 118, 116, 118, so there's a fair chance he will only need to convert that form to Ascot to be winning The Quokka.
Whether he can go any higher than that remains to be seen, but it is worth noting Craig Newitt rode him to perfection in the Newmarket, the efficiency of his race near-on perfect, suggesting that's close to as well as he can go.
It will be interesting to see who steps up to challenge – the interstate raiders have a few that are rated close together, while the locals are all upside and will have an opportunity to improve in the lead up events.
For now though, Caballus profiles better than any of them and will be well fancied to follow in Overpass' footsteps.
The TABtouch market agrees, with Caballus an early favourite at $3.50 for the race, which will be run on April 18th at Ascot Racecourse.
About the Slot Holder: RAM Racing
The RAM Racing Syndicate, named after the RAM truck dealer in Rockingham WA, are major supporters of the Western Trilogy and possess slots in each of the three events. Their decision to support the race series has been a highly valuable one, winning the race with Overpass in the first two years of The Quokka.
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