3 minute read

Perth's Railway Stks has a tremendous history and has been won by some high quality horses including Australian Cup winners Northerly, Better Loosen Up & Old Comrade. The recent stats are detailed for you to consider.

2008 RAILWAY STAKES

RACE PROFILE

• Weights are the key stats here with 55.5kg being the biggest weight carried since the metric system came in.

• The average weight carried in the last 15 years is 53kg.

• Inside barriers have been a definite advantage, especially considering the pace, the likelihood of a fast track and the large field size.

• Mares won back to back with Belle Bizarre and Covertly but it was a long time before that when Miss Muffett won in ('87).

• 4yos have won 20 of the last 50 Railways.

• Last 15 Years Colonel Reeves Stks / Railway Stks double – (No examples)

• Last 15 Years Winterbottom Stks / Railway Stks double – Hardrada ('03), Jacks or Better ('95)

• Last 15 Years WA Guineas / Railway Stks double – (No examples)

• Last 15 Years RJ Peters Stks / Railway Stks double – El Presidente ('07), Northerly ('00), Bold Extreme ('96)

• Last 15 Years Lee Steere Stks / Railway Stks double – Belle Bizarre ('06), Slavonic ('99), Willoughby ('97 – Railway of Jan '98)

• Last 15 Years Prince of Wales Stks / Railway Stks double – Willoughby ('97 – Railway of Jan '98)

• Last 15 Years AJ Scahill Stks / Railway Stks double – Willoughby ('98)

  

SUMMARY & SELECTIONS

This is one of the most interesting Railways in many years. With the influx of so many in form and highly credentialed Eastern Staters, the locals will have to be at their best. Usually they are incredibly hard to beat at home but this year they will have to be right at the top of their game.

To show the depth of the race, a G1 winner Niconero, coming off a very good run at Flemington and who has won a G1 in Perth previously sits at $15 in the first final field market. Also Sniper's Bullet, off similar confidence building runs in Melbourne and a Stradbroke winner, opened at $12.

You can see Bank Robber going forward from the perfect barrier 2 to lead as he did in the Epsom Hcp although noted front runner Annenkov could be a fly in the ointment drawing gate 1. Most Perth races are run with good speed anyway.

Of the favourites who drew poorly, Fred Kersley could pull a rabbit from the hat by going forward with Marasco. It might not be much pleasure having to give other quality horses many lengths at the 600. His 3yo Grand Nirvana was unlucky in the WA Guineas but he too faces a tough ask from the barrier despite the weight.

Rightfully Yours is a fascinating runner. He has the weight, the barrier and the trainer but the form around him warrants some consideration. He defeated Count to Zero and Orbit Express who, while not beaten far, were dealt with by the promising Chasm in the Sandown Stks. Before that he was racing in open hcps and restricted class races. You also wonder if some give in the track might be more his go. He comes more into calculations if the rain comes.

We'll go for Sniper's Bullet to win his 2nd G1 million dollar race in his career. He is a tough gelding and nothing went right for him going back at the start in the Emirates. His Stradbroke win saw him sit one by one and you imagine him getting the same run from this good draw. He is not badly off when you consider he had to carry 56.5 when looking for consecutive Stradbrokes.

Bank Robber has to be given a fantastic hope as he was 35 days between the Epsom and Emirates and has regular jockey, Cup winner Blake Shinn aboard.

Best of the outsiders might be Majestical. Another drawn well in gate 6, he comes to Perth off two good runs over 2000m. In the JRA Cup he just failed to run down Cefalu on a biased leaders track. Behind him that night were Cup placegetter C'est La Guerre and Queen Elizabeth winner Capecover. He then went to Cranbourne where he won the Cup. He conquered Barbaricus that day and he was then placed in the Caulfield Cup and the Mackinnon Stks.

Selection: Sniper's Bullet

Hardest to Beat: Bank Robber

Best Roughie: Majestical

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------