Horse Racing

Following on from the elite spring racing action in Sydney and Melbourne, summer is Perth’s time to shine with the Festival of Perth Racing hitting top gear on Saturday November 19 with Railway Stakes Day to feature plenty of Group racing action including the WA Guineas 2011.

One of the key support acts for the two elite levels of the day – the $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and the $500,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) – the 2011 WA Guineas is one of Perth’s richest and most prestigious races for three-year-olds.

Last year's WA Guineas winner Playing God

Won 12 months ago by subsequent Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winner Playing God, the $350,000 Group 2 Sky Racing W.A. Guineas (1600m) this year attracted 38 hopefuls at nomination stage.

There are officially 37 still entered for the classic following the early withdrawal of the Paul Tapper-trained Glenesk.

Generous futures WA Guineas odds are already out at Australia’s leading online bookmaker Luxbet, markets lead by Ron’s Call at a quote of $2.30.

A winner of all four of their starts this spring, the Simon Miller-trained Magic Albert gelding Ron’s Call has been one of the most progressive and impressive of the three-year-olds in Perth and were last seen running away to win the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) by an easy four lengths on November 5.

“He just keeps getting better every week,” Miller said of Ron’s Call.

Close second-favourite in the current WA Guineas betting markets at Luxbet is Trevor Andrews‘ Flying Pegasus colt King Saul at a quote of $3.20.

The lightly-raced King Saul has had just three starts to date winning their opening two including the Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) on October 15 before their game last-start fourth in the Fairetha Stakes.

King Saul will be ridden in the WA Guineas by top interstate hoop Craig Williams who will travel over to Perth having been booked to also partner with class mares Ortensia in the Winterbottom Stakes and Avienus in the Railway Stakes.

“It goes back to a promise I made Craig that if he was riding in Perth I would give him a ride,” King Saul’s owner Craig Thompson said.

There are then three other WA Guineas entries at single-figure odds in the markets with:

• Shining Knight ($7 Luxbet) – Grant Williams-trained Blackfriars gelding ran second to Ron’s Call in the Fairetha Stakes, tipped to improve with more distance

• Watermans Bay ($8 Luxbet) – Peter Giadresco’s promising Eternity Range gelding won their opening two career starts back in the winter, were far from disgraced last Saturday when fourth in a 1200 metre handicap at Ascot

• Dark Miss ($8.50 Luxbet) – Another from the stables of Grant Williams, this More Than Ready filly has been in excellent form since debuting in September, last seen finishing a neck away second to Red Hot Sax in the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) on October 29

Other notable three-year-olds among the WA Guineas nominations include David Harrison’s Burgess Queen Stakes winner Red Hot Sax and the David Hayes-trained Victorian raider World Domination.

Meanwhile, General Nediym colt Fort Courage is considered local Ascot-based trainer Neville Parnham’s best chance of going back-to-back in the WA Guineas paying $14 through Luxbet.

Fort Courage was last seen finishing third to Ron’s Call in the Fairetha Stakes and is one of six WA Guineas entries for Parnham this year along with Almachino ($16), Reign Of Terror ($16), Pure Heaven ($26), Shady Bet ($31) and Ellavamoment ($41).

See below for the full list of WA Guineas nominees and their current odds courtesy of Luxbet.

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2011 W.A. Guineas Nominations & Odds

*Odds are Fixed Win and subject to change – see Luxbet for updates and to bet now!