Kiwi trainer Allan Sharrock believes the top weight allocation for his visiting galloper Kawi in the Railway Stakes 2016 sets up a tough test at Ascot Racecourse on Saturday.

The six-year-old son of Savabeel has just his second run down under in the $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and is charged with carrying 58.5kg in the mile classic.

In the past 30 years only one Railway Stakes winner – Luckygray (58kg in 2013) – has managed to carry more than 56.5kg to victory in the Perth Summer Racing Carnival showdown.

On debut down under Kawi lined-up in Ascot’s Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) on November 5 and carried 59kg to a fourth to Perfect Reflection.

He faces a number of the same rivals for round two in W.A. on the weekend and Michael Walker retains the ride.

Sharrock believes the current $17 quote in Railway Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for his horse is about right and is looking for him to hit the line well ahead of his other assignment in a fortnight.

“I think it’s too tough to be honest,” the New Plymouth-based Sharrock told Racing Ahead on RSN 927.

“When I looked at the three races I was going [to WA] for, I thought this was the hardest one.

“They’re all getting a bit of weight off him.”

Going up in distance at weight-for-age, Kawi looks better suited to the $1 million Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) on December 3 with the Railway Stakes simply a stepping stone to that ultimate goal.

“What we want to see is a top-five placing, hitting the line, and going back to weight-for-age [Kingston Town Classic],” Sharrock added.

Back in New Zealand the galloper has lined-up in 10 Group 1 races including his back-to-back victories over 1400m and 1600m respectively at Hastings earlier this year taking his elite level record up to five wins.

He also boasts a strong record over the mile of three wins, two seconds and a third from nine runs.

Sharrock put the horse through a solid piece of work this week, but was forced to run Kawi solo when unable to find a track partner for his $900,000 earner.

“We couldn’t find a mate to gallop with,” he explained.

“They don’t seem to work them as far as we’d like to in New Zealand, or what we do with our horse, but that’s fine.

“He rolled over 1200m, ran home in 37 [seconds last 600m], had a little blow, but he’s obviously improved significantly from that first run, and that’s what we want to see at this stage.”

While the weight is a concern for Sharrock, he said the horse had adapted well to the heat in Perth and that the weather was a non-issue heading into Saturday.

“He’s coping really, really well. I don’t think that [the heat] is an issue now,” he said.

“It’s part and parcel of Perth – we knew that before we left.

“All we want to see is natural improvement from 1400m to 1600m, and that’ll top us off nicely for the Kingston Town.”

Futures Kingston Town Classic odds at Ladbrokes.com.au has Kawi occupying the third line of betting at $10 behind fellow Railway Stakes rivals Perfect Reflection and Disposition.

There’s also a chance Kawi will race on in Australia over the autumn next year possibly targeting Flemington’s $1.5 million Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on March 11, 2017.

To back Kawi this weekend and in the Kingston Town Classic at the best summer odds head to Ladbrokes.com.au now.