The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival may be coming to a close this Saturday November 12 with Zipping Classic Day at Sandown, but that doesn’t mean punters should hang up their hats after that as the action moves across the nation to Western Australia for the Festival of Perth Racing.
Playing God is one of the key Festival of Perth Racing contenders in 2011
While the temperatures rise and summer approaches, the Perth Summer Racing Carnival ensures there is elite racing action right until the end of the year with Luxbet offering all the hottest odds and betting markets on the features.
Group racing for the spring – summer season in Perth is conducted at WA’s premier racing venue, Ascot Racecourse.
Things kicked off in late October with the running of early season races including the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m) on October 22 won by Waratah’s Secret, the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) on October 29 where Luckygray saluted and the Group 3 Colonel Reeves Stakes (1100m) on November 1 where Avante came away victorious.
Last Saturday, November 5, Flemington hosted their final Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting with Emirates Stakes Day, while over in WA the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) was the feature, Grant William’s 2011 Railway Stakes-bound Ranger scoring a tidy two length victory.
This weekend Perth Summer Racing continues with two Group features, the $125,000 Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes (1500m) and the $200,000 Group 3 W.A. Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m).
It is Saturday November 19, however, when the Festival of Perth Racing officially heats up as the elite level racing starts.
There are three Group 1 races held in Perth to see out 2011, two of which run on the 19th with the $500,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) and the meeting’s marquee event, the $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m).
The 2011 Winterbottom Stakes may have lost its drawcard contender with Black Caviar sent for a spell, but it will still be a top-class sprint showdown.
After Black Caviar’s withdrawal undefeated four-year-old Barakey shot to the top of the Winterbottom Stakes odds at Luxbet, but was also subsequently ruled out of contention this week.
Of the remaining hopefuls, it is Paul Messara’s rank mare Ortensia now dominating the Winterbottom Stakes betting markets at a quote of $2.40 followed by Prince of Wales Stakes winner Waratah’s Secret ($4).
For the Railway Stakes 2011 it is currently a three-horse affair in the Luxbet markets with Luckygray, Playing God and Ranger all installed at $5.50.
Final fields for the Winterbottom Stakes and Railway Stakes will be released on Monday November 14 and published right here at Races.com.au.
Then on December 3 the $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) will take centre stage, early favourite for the feature being defending champion, the Neville Parnham-trained Playing God at a quote of $3.60 at Luxbet.
With a range of other quality black-type features held at Ascot throughout this period, the big ones at the very end of the year punters will be keen to have a bet on are then the $225,000 Group 2 C.B. Cox Stakes (2100m) and the $400,000 Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m).
There will actually be two 2011 Perth Cups held this year, the first of which ran on New Year’s Day and was won by Guest Wing.
Program rescheduling then sees the second Perth Cup 2011 held on December 31st on New Year’s Eve.
Stay tuned to Races.com.au throughout the coming weeks for all the latest Perth Racing field and betting updates.
Futures markets on the Winterbottom Stakes, Railway Stakes, WA Guineas and Kingston Town Classic are already open at our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet making now the time to finally open your account with this Tabcorp-owned and trusted operation.
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2011 Festival of Perth Racing – Feature Races
Saturday November 19, 2011 – Ascot
Final Fields released Monday November 14
- $1 million Group 1 Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m)
- $500,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m)
- $350,000 Group 2 WA Guineas (1600m)
Saturday December 3, 2011 – Ascot
Final Fields released Monday November 28
- $500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m)
- $125,000 Group 3 A.J. Scahill Stakes (1400m)
Saturday December 17, 2011 – Ascot
Final Fields released Monday December 12
- $225,000 Group 2 CB Cox Stakes (2100m)
Saturday December 31, 2011 – Ascot
Final Fields released Tuesday December 27
- $400,000 Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m)
