The Railway Stakes

Those who follow the sport of racing in Australia will be aware that the Railway Stakes has been running for many years. It is a Group 1 race held in Perth, Western Australia, which attracts some of the best horses in the country. It is one of the major events of the Racing calendar and this year, it promises to be another exciting race.

Group 1 race in Perth

During the Perth Summer Racing Carnival, the Railway Stakes is one of the most significant races on the calendar. The race is held at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Western Australia, and attracts the best local and interstate horses. It is open to horses aged three and older.

The Railway Stakes has been a feature mile race on the Australian calendar for more than 100 years. The race first ran over 1600 metres, but was reduced to 1,500 metres from 1973 until the race returned to the mile in 1983. Since then, prize money for the race has grown into a seven-figure sum.

In 2007, prize money was increased to $1 million. Since then, the race has gained more attention from eastern owners. A number of Western Australian horses have won the race. The best known winners include Northerly, who won the 2000 Railway Stakes and became a Caulfield Cup champion. The horse has since gone on to become a dual Cox Plate champion.

Western Australian horses typically dominate the race, but interstate runners have been involved. For example, Balmont Girl won two years in a row from 2014-15. Runners from Sydney and Melbourne may target their own big races before heading to Perth.

The Railway Stakes was held for the first time in 1894. It was also run over 2,000, 1,500, and 1600 metres in the past. It was then reduced to an even mile in 1925, but returned to the mile in 1983. As of 2022, the race will have a prize money of $1.5 million.

In the last five years, the Railway Stakes has produced three double winners. In the previous eight years, no horse has done this. The last double was achieved by Belle Bizarre in 2006.

In the last two years, the Railway Stakes has produced a number of impressive four-year-olds. Among those are Regal Power, who was trained by Perth trainers. Trix Of The Trade, who was trained by Melbourne's Colin Webster, was another notable winner.

Other notable winners include Asian Beau, who won the 1979 Railway Stakes. Also, Western Empire, who was a short-priced winner in 2021.

Longest winning streak since 2001

Listed as the most exciting race of the week, the Railway Stakes has the heft of a million dollar prize fund and a host of good horses. Not only is the race a test of stamina, but it attracts the best of the best staying types in Australia.

The event is a part of the Perth Racing three-week summer carnival. Aside from the Railway Stakes, the event will also feature the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes and the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes. Aside from its most famous winner, Wandering Willie, the event has featured the likes of Sanatate, a horse that won the race at 34 odds, and El Presidente, a horse that won the race at $21 odds.

The Railway Stakes has also seen its fair share of interstate raiders lining up in recent years. In fact, in 2007 the prize money for this race doubled from $750,000 to $1 million. During this time, eastern owners have given the race more attention. Traditionally, the Railway Stakes has seen a field size of 16 with a few notable exceptions.

The aforementioned Lee Steere Stakes is a key lead-up to the event. In the future, the event will become a Group 1 race in its own right with prize money of a snazzy million dollars. The best time to win a Railway Stakes would be the one that comes after the Lee Steere Stakes. As with the Lee Steere Stakes, most Railway Stakes entries come from Western Australia. In fact, there are more locals in this race than any other Australian event of its size.

The Railway Stakes is an important race, not just in terms of prize money, but also for its impact on the Western Australian racing calendar. Aside from the big winners, the event has played host to several significant winners, such as the notable Asian Beau, who won the event in 1979. The notable occupants of the cupboard include the likes of Mr Moet, who won the Railway Stakes at $21 odds in 2012. Other notables include Scales of Justice, a galloper by Not A Single Doubt that won the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield in 2015, and El Presidente, who won the Railway Stakes at the pricier price of $21 in 2007.

The Railway Stakes is a great example of the most important things to know about racing. Considering the prize money on offer, it makes sense to consider futures betting on the event to ensure you are not left out in the cold.

Lead-up race

Runners from the west of the country make up the majority of the Railway Stakes field. The Group 1 race is over 1600 metres and is held at Ascot racecourse in Perth. This is the richest race in Western Australia. It offers prizemoney of $1 million. The lead-up races include the Lee Steere Stakes and the Group 2 Asian Beau Stakes.

Historically, four-year-olds have been very successful in the Railway Stakes. However, since the last decade, double-figure runners have dominated the results. Despite a good record for WA horses, the local horses have failed to record a Railway Stakes double in the last six years. In the meantime, interstate raiders have lined up in the race.

The Lee Steere Stakes is run over 1400 metres two weeks prior to the Railway Stakes. This is one of the most popular lead-in races for locals. The Lee Steere Stakes has produced nine winners for the Railway Stakes since 2001. This race has an ace record for graduates.

Runners who win the Railway Stakes will likely run in the Kingston Town Classic over 1800 metres in two weeks. This is another race which has produced three winners in the last three years. In 2022, a total of 72 nominations were received and the field will be published here.

This race has produced five mares over the last 34 years. In that time, five winners have been short-priced. These horses include: Galaxy Star, Modem, La Trice, Wandering Willie and Better Loose Up.

Pike came into this preparation as All-In Favourite for the Railway Stakes. However, he ran below par first-up in the Asian Beau Stakes. He was beaten over 2.5L. His alley at Ascot has been favourable. The son of Playing God ran five wins and three seconds from his first seven starts.

Despite the long odds, Great Shot was the best-priced winner of the Railway Stakes in 2017. He finished third in the Group 2 Lee Steere at this track in 2013. He was not a short-priced favourite when winning in 2017.

In the last six years, six Railway Stakes winners have been priced under $10. Sniper's Bullet won in 2009 at $3.20.

Barrier draw

Traditionally, the Railway Stakes is a full field race with a total of 16 horses. However, this year, there are 72 nominations for the 2022 race. The final field will be announced on November 21, 2023, which will include the barrier draw. In addition to this, there will also be a fixed odds, weights and scratchings.

One of the biggest winners of the barrier draw was Searchin' Roc's, who won the race in 2009. Other winners of the Railway Stakes include Luckygray, who won twice, and Gathering, who won once. In addition to these, the Lee Steere Stakes has been the most prolific producer of Railway Stakes winners since 2001.

Another horse with a lot of promise is Western Empire, who has drawn barrier three. The galloper is in great form for the Group 1 Railway Stakes, winning the weight-for-age Group 2 Lee Steere Classic (1400m) last start. The Western Empire has won five races since its maiden win in the WA Derby (2400m). The Western Empire is owned by Bob Peters and is ridden by William Pike.

Western Empire also has a good record in the Asian Beau Stakes, winning it as a two-year-old and then going on to win the Group Three Asian Beau Stakes. However, the Western Empire has a 58kg weight limit and will need to overcome that barrier. The Asian Beau Stakes was a favourable alley for Pike, who finished a close second.

Another Perth-trained horse in the race is Ranger, who has drawn barrier six. Ranger is another gelding who has been in great form in recent starts. He is a three-year-old who has won three races in the 72+ ratings.

Finally, Karli's Karma has drawn barrier 9. She has been in good form in recent starts and is a solid contender in the Railway Stakes. She is a four-year-old who is a half-sister to Stakes-winning sprinter Ruettiger. The trainer is Colin Webster and the gelding has finished eighth in 13 starts.

The Railway Stakes is a significant race and the final field will be announced. The horse with the best chance of winning the race is the favourite, but there will be a few surprises in the field.