Overdose makes his long-awaited comeback in Germany on Sunday. The Budapest Bullet will resume in the Hoppegarten Fliegerpreis over 1000m.
Overdose (6h Starborough – Our Poppet by Warning) had won 14 straight before a last-start loss in the G2 Goldene Peitsche at Baden-Baden back in August. “In retrospect, it was a mistake to run him that day,” owner Zoltan Mikoczy said. “It was his third run in a space of six weeks and he was fractious before they jumped.
“We are now going to give him a longer break between races. After this Sunday, he will go to England for the Temple Stakes before we have a crack at Royal Ascot.
“The horse is fit and well and we want to prove that he is still one of the best sprinters in Europe,” Micokzy continued. “He’s been going into the starting stalls fine at home and is very keen in his work.”
Overdose runs in the colours of the Hungarian national flag and has a huge following in his home country. He was bred in Nottinghamshire and Mikoczy bought him for just 2,000gns at the Tattersalls yearling sale in December 2006.
Micokzy has reunited Overdose with German champion Andreas Suborics who partnered him to three Group victories in Germany and Italy in 2008.
Suborics was also on board when Overdose reached what would have been a career high in the 2008 G1 Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp but a bizarre turn of events saw him go home to Hungary empty-handed. He blitzed the field in France’s premier sprint but the race was declared void because of a false start.
The majority of the field pulled up but not Overdose. He did not contest the re-run after the last race but his time was faster than that recorded by the official winner Marchand D’Or.
Overdose at 1-2 with German online bookmakers for the Berlin race which is timed for 12.25 am (AEST) on Monday morning.