Horse Racing

After the Railway Stakes 2011 field was released on Monday, the official barrier draw was announced this morning with early favourite the Grant Williams-trained Ranger coming up trumps with gate six.

Playing God has drawn well mid-field in the 2011 Railway Stakes

With 16 starters and two emergencies accepted for the $1 million Group 1 Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m), the headline event at Ascot Racecourse this Saturday, Testa Rossa five-year-old Ranger will move into an even more favourable barrier five if the two emergencies come out.

Ranger shot to the top of the Railway Stakes odds at Luxbet last week and was at a quote of around $3.50 in the pre-field markets.

They were last seen running away with a smart two length win over Grand Nirvana, running in Saturday’s $500,000 Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m), in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 5.

For that run they carried 59kg and jumped from gate five with William Pike in the mount.

Pike has retained the ride for the Railway Stakes on Saturday, Ranger dropping down to 56kg and looking set to jump from the same barrier five.

Other winners in the 2011 Railway Stakes barrier draw included:

• Waratah’s Secret (Barrier 3) – David Harrison-trained Oratorio gelding won the Group 3 Prince Of Wales Stakes (1200m) at Ascot two starts back before their third in the Lee Steere carrying 59kg, drop to 57kg on Saturday

• He’s Remarkable (Barrier 1) – Roger James’ Kiwi galloper with the rails run from gate one, comes off good form in Victoria including their gritty Emirates Stakes Day win over the Flemington mile carrying 59kg, huge drop back to 53kg will work in their favour

• Westriver Kevydonn (Barrier 2) – Danetime six-year-old from the stables of Paige Kenney, winner of their last three on the trot at Ascot, most recently in the Group 3 R.J. Peters Stakes (1500m) from barrier one last Saturday

Meanwhile, one-time Railway Stakes betting favourite Luckygray is likely to drift out further in their price after coming up with barrier 14.

Prepared by Gino Poletti, Bradbury’s Luck four-year-old Luckygray has been the picture of consistency this season winning all three of their starts including the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) by an easy three and a half lengths, but will have work to do from that gate as they go to the mile for the first time.

Other top fancies with work to do from wider draws include Mark Webb’s Victorian raider Avienus (barrier 10) and the Mark Reed-trained Kalgoorlie Cup winner Kincaple (barrier 15).

Another horse high up the Railway Stakes odds is the Neville Parnham-trained Playing God who drew fairly mid-field in barrier nine, into seven if the emergencies don’t gain a start, the reigning Kingston Town Classic winner coming off a run in the Cox Plate.

Last year’s Railway Stakes winner Gathering jumped from barrier six, and this year if it is the Ian Gladin-trained veteran eight-year-old King Kool Kat who will come in from barrier eight to six with spares Our Ol’ Fella (barrier seven) and Ringmeister (barrier five) coming out.

See below for the complete 2011 Railway Stakes field, barriers and jockeys.

Updated markets on the Festival of Perth Racing feature are due for release at our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet shortly.

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2011 Railway Stakes Field & Barriers