Horse Racing

Saturday November 19 is shaping up as an elite day’s racing at Ascot in Perth despite the announcement that Black Caviar would not be making the trip over, one of the two Group 1 features at the meeting being the 2011 Railway Stakes.

Playing God is one of the early favourites for the 2011 Railway Stakes in Perth

Currently 53 horses are officially entered for the $1 million Group 1 Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m), the early favourite of which is the Gino Poletti-trained local Luckygray.

Sitting at the top of the futures Railway Stakes odds at Luxbet at a quote of $4.60, the Bradbury’s Luck four-year-old is undefeated this season with three straight wins.

Most recently Luckygray was seen racing away to win the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) at Ascot by an easy three and a half lengths, earning their shot at Group 1 glory in the Railway.

There are three other top elects at single-figure odds in the Railway Stakes betting markets at Luxbet pre-field:

• Playing God ($5.50 Luxbet) – Neville Parnham-trained Blackfriars stallion is a Group 1 winner having saluted in the Kingston Town Classic last December, won the WA Guineas on Railway Stakes Day 12 months ago as well and had a successful autumn season with a number of Group 1 placings, outclassed in Melbourne last-start when 11^th in the Cox Plate but back home and back to the mile could be back to Group 1 winning form

• Ranger ($6.50 Luxbet) – Testa Rossa gelding from the stables of Grant Williams, is three from three this season and looked in top form winning the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) here by a minimum two lengths over the likes of Grand Nirvana and Waratah’s Secret on November 5

• Albert The Fat ($9.50 Luxbet) – Now Chris Waller-trained Sydneysider claimed a massive upset when beating a crack field by the barest of margins in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m) last weekend, could bypass the trip to Perth in favour of preparing for an international campaign in Dubai at the end of the year especially with their 57kg topweight for the Railway

Other noteworthy Railway Stakes 2011 entries include the Fred Kersley-trained Grand Nirvana ($12) who ran fourth in the feature last year to Gathering, Roger James’ Kiwi visitor He’s Remarkable ($15) last seen winning over the Flemington mile carrying 59kg on Emirates Stakes Day, fellow New Zealander Wall Street ($16) who ran sixth when defending their Emirates Stakes title last Saturday and Launay ($16).

Launay, however, will not be accepted for the Perth feature with trainer Peter Snowden announcing his decision not to take any of his horses over for the Festival.

This will see Pinwheel withdrawn from the Railway and Rarified from the $500,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m).

In another Winterbottom Stakes field update, the feature to run at Ascot on the same day as the Railway, Dan Morton’s veteran galloper Scenic Blast will also bypass the race after their failed last-start fifth to Black Caviar in the Patinack Farm Classic.

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest Festival of Perth Racing and Railway Stakes updates.

In the meantime, check out Luxbet for all of their summer futures odds on the Perth features.

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2011 Railway Stakes Entries & Odds

*Odds are Fixed Win from Luxbet and subject to change