The Group 1 racing action of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival kicks off on Saturday with the Railway Stakes 2016, a full form guide and betting preview for the mile classic found below.

Good Project defends his Railway Stakes title at Ascot Racecourse in Perth this Saturday for Sydney trainer Chris Waller. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to run as Ascot Race 8 at 5:00pm (WA time) as the penultimate event on the card, this season’s $1 million Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m) is set to feature a full 16 starter field.

Heading the current Railway Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au at $5 to set a weight-carrying record for a mare in the race is the Grant & Alana Williams-trained reigning Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection.

Despite the 54.5kg she could be hard to hold out from barrier two with William Pike in the saddle once more on the back of her Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) win at the track on November 5.

Her biggest dangers according to Railway Stakes betting including Chris Waller’s widely drawn Pins four-year-old Mackintosh ($6.50), the Darren Weir-trained Victorian visitor Rageese ($7.50) coming off a Group 3 Flemington win and market mover Tradesman ($11 into $7.50) for local trainers Robert & Todd Harvey.

That’s the story told by the bookies but what about the Railway Stakes form guide, betting history and statistics?

2016 Railway Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Railway Stakes winner was the Chris Waller-trained Good Project (2015) who won first-up from barrier 11 (of 14) with Craig Williams aboard the $6 shot on 53kg
• Chris Waller (3-1-0-1) shoots for back-to-back wins as a trainer this weekend with the reigning champion #5 Good Project ($15) as well as #7 Mackintosh ($6.50)
• Luckygray is a dual Railway Stakes winner (2011 and 2013) but the last horse to go back-to-back on successive years was Tudor Mak (1966-67)
• Craig Williams (4-2-0-0) shoots for back-to-back wins as a jockey this year aboard #4 He Or She ($16) for the Lindsay Park stable
• Williams also won the Railway Stakes aboard Gathering (2010)
• The other previous Railway Stakes winning trainers with a runner on Saturday are: Grant Williams (12-1-0-0) with #2 Disposition, #6 Perfect Reflection, #11 Heart Starter and #13 Neverland; David Hayes (14-1-2-2) with #4 He Or She; and Fred Kersley (9-1-0-0) with #8 Lite’N In My Veins
• The other previous Railway Stakes winning jockeys with a ride this year are: Sean O’Donnell (14-2-3-1) on #10 Balmont Girl; William Pike (9-1-0-1) on #6 Perfect Reflection; Troy Turner (16-1-0-2) on #16 Tradesman; and Patrick Carbery (15-2-0-3) who is on standby to ride the third emergency #19e Showy Chloe

• Two last start winners have won the Railway Stakes in the past five years; there are three last start winners in the race this year: #6 Perfect Reflection (Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes, 1400m, Ascot, 05/11/2016), #9 Rageese (Group 3 Chatham Stakes, 1400m, Flemington, 03/11/2016) and #14 Scales Of Justice (Group 3 RJ Peters Stakes, 1500m, Ascot, 12/11/2016)
• #6 Perfect Reflection is out to be the third Lee Steere Stakes graduate to win the Railway Stakes in four years and the first to complete the double since Belle Bizarre (2006)

• #9 Rageese ($7.50) is out to be the fourth Railway Stakes winner since 2009 to come off a non-Perth lead-up
• #14 Scales Of Justice ($9) is out to be the first Railway Stakes champ to back-up off a RJ Peters Stakes run since Gilded Venom (2^nd in 2008) and the first to do the double since El Presidente (2007)
• Last year’s winning barrier (11) has produced two winners (since 1983) and is drawn this year by #9 Rageese but if the emergencies come out it will be #10 Balmont Girl (13) into the barrier
• The most successful Railway Stakes barrier in that time producing six winners is gate 12; currently barrier 12 belongs to the third emergency #19e Showy Chloe so #4 He Or She (15) is likely to come in three barriers to the coveted gate with the spares coming out

• Four of the past five Railway Stakes winners jumped from double digit barriers including three from gate 12
• In the past decade only two Railway Stakes winners have carried more than 55.5kg to victory: Sniper’s Bullet (56.5kg in 2009) and Luckygray (58kg in 2013)
• This year that rules out: #1 Kawi (58.5kg), #2 Disposition (56kg) and #3 Pornichet (56kg)
• Four of the past five winners have carried either 53kg or 53.5kg to victory; horses 8 and onwards are allocated this weight range for Saturday
• Two of the past four Railway Stakes winners jumped at $21 in betting; the closes to that price in the latest markets at Ladbrokes.com.au this year are #1 Kawi ($17) and #8 Lite’N In My Veins ($17)
• The past two champions jumped at $6 in betting a price closest to #6 Perfect Reflection ($5) and #7 Mackintosh ($6.50) this year
• Just two Railway Stakes favourites have saluted for the punters in the past decade; this year #6 Perfect Reflection is out to be the first since Luckygray ($4 in 2011)

• Four-year-olds have the best record in the race over the past 10 years; the 4YOs in the mix this year are: #6 Perfect Reflection, #7 Mackintosh, #8 Lite’N In My Veins, #9 Rageese, #11 Heart Starter, #14 Scales Of Justice, #18e Great Shot and #19e Showy Chloe
• Mares have won three times since 2005 most recently with Elite Belle (2014); the mares in the race this year are: #6 Perfect Reflection, #10 Balmont Girl, #12 Ideal Image, #13 Neverland, #15 Tick Tick Bloom and #19e Showy Chloe
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #6 Perfect Reflection (67%) followed by #8 Lite’N In My Veins (63%)
• The highest Place Rate of the field belongs to #14 Scales Of Justice (100%) followed by #6 Perfect Reflection (89%), #18e Great Shot (82%) and #2 Disposition (80%)
• The runners with the best winning form over the distance (1600m) are: #1 Kawi (8-3-2-1), #4 He Or She (7-3-0-1), #5 Good Project (8-3-1-1), #15 Tick Tick Bloom (5-3-0-0), #16 Tradesman (3-3-0-0) and #3 Pornichet (6-2-0-2)
• The horses with the best track record at Ascot are: #4 He Or She (8-6-0-1), #10 Balmont Girl (30-5-6-4), #13 Neverland (13-5-3-1), #6 Perfect Reflection (5-4-0-1), #8 Lite’N In My Veins (6-4-0-0), #11 Heart Starter (6-3-0-0), #12 Ideal Image (13-3-2-4), #14 Scales Of Justice (5-3-2-0) and #2 Disposition (6-2-3-0)

Stay tuned for our insider Railway Stakes 2016 tips to be published shortly.

In the meantime check out the full form guide below and check out the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost Extra on the Railway Stakes (T&Cs apply).