After Perth Racing received over 80 original entries for the Railway Stakes 2016, nominations for this Saturday’s Group 1 Ascot Racecourse feature are down to 21 hopeful milers.

Defending champion Good Project is one of two 2016 Railway Stakes nominees for Chris Waller this weekend in Perth. Photo: Steve Hart.

The first of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival elite levels takes place on the weekend with pre-field betting already open at Ladbrokes.com.au on the $1 million Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m).

Of the remaining entries for the handicap feature, the top-weighted with 58.5kg is the Allan Sharrock-trained Kawi.

A six-year-old son of Savabeel, the New Zealand raider is a multiple Group 1 winner back home and comes off a debut run down under.

On November 5 at Ascot he finished a credible fourth to Perfect Reflection in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m).

He now pays a current all-in price of $11 to turn the tables on his last start conqueror and return to winning form in the Railway Stakes over a distance he boasts a strong record of three wins, two seconds and a third from nine runs at to date.

The Lee Steere Stakes winner Perfect Reflection will get the weight advantage again in the Railway Stakes field.

A four-year-old daughter of More Than Ready, Grant & Alana Williams’ gun mare has won four of her five starts at Ascot to date including last year’s Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m).

She heads towards a title defence in that weight-for-age feature on December 3, warming up in the Railway Stakes.

After carrying 57kg to victory in the Lee Steere last start, Perfect Reflection should relish the drop back to 54.5kg on the weekend and Perth’s premier hoop William Pike retains the ride.

Co-trainer Grant Williams won the Railway Stakes two years back with his then six-year-old mare Elite Belle (2014), who was also ridden to victory by Pike.

Perfect Reflection currently occupies the second line of futures Railway Stakes betting at $6, trailing only the Chris Waller-trained Mackintosh ($5).

Mackintosh sneaks into the Railway Stakes weights with 54kg, a big advantage for the Pins four-year-old.

He won first-up in Sydney back in September before a third in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 1 and the close fifth to Le Romain when beaten only 1.4 lengths in the Group 1 Cantala Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last time out.

Waller prepared last year’s Railway Stakes winner Good Project (2015) and also has the reigning champion nominated to defend his title in 2016.

Not A Single Doubt stallion Good Project carried 53kg to victory in the race 12 months ago, but hasn’t won again since and rises to 55kg on the weekend.

Team Williams meanwhile also have three other Railway Stakes hopefuls outside of Perfect Reflection this season with: Disposition, Heart Starter and Neverland.

Disposition ($9) is the best fancied of those, Glenn Smith set to retain his association with the Reset five-year-old who comes off a second in the Lee Steere.

The gelding is also a Group 1 performer in Melbourne having run second in both the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Toorak Handicap at Caulfield last year.

Heart Starter could be the smokey shot for the team meanwhile, the four-year-old Domesday gelding having won the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) in late October before a fourth in last weekend’s Group 3 RJ Peter Stakes (1500m).

He carried 59kg there and will be better suited with 53kg if accepted for the quick back-up this Saturday.

The RJ Peters Stakes winner Scales Of Justice could also race again in the Railway Stakes after the Lindsey Smith-trained Not A Single Doubt four-year-old’s nice one length win on Ascot Gold Cup Day.

Check out the latest Railway Stakes 2016 nominations, weights and jockeys below ahead of the final field and barriers being released on Wednesday.

Don’t forget to also check out the early Railway Stakes odds open now at our preferred online sportsbook Ladbrokes.com.au!

2016 Railway Stakes Nominations & Weights

Ascot Racecourse – 19/11/2016