The first Group 1 race of the Perth Summer Racing Carnival is Saturday’s Railway Stakes 2016, betting tips and the latest odds for the mile showdown at Ascot Racecourse found below.

Mackintosh is a must include in all 2016 Railway Stakes Trifecta Bets in Perth on Saturday. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Running as Ascot Race 8 at 5:00pm (WA time), this year’s $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) field is at capacity and current $5.50 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au is last summer’s Kingston Town Classic winner Perfect Reflection.

The classy four-year-old daughter of More Than Ready is prepared by Grant & Alana Williams and has won four from five at Ascot including the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) last time out.

William Pike rides the mare once again from a gun barrier two draw, while Chris Waller’s $6.50 favourite in Railway Stakes betting Mackintosh is out wider in barrier 16 with former Perth boy Damien Oliver in the saddle.

The next best fancied in the Railway Stakes odds include the Darren Weir-trained Rageese ($7.50) and market mover Tradesman ($7) coming off a Lee Steer third and getting in on Saturday’s 53kg minimum weight.

Just three of the past seven Railway Stakes winners jumped under $10 in betting however so that opens it up for one of the longer priced fancies this year including Lee Steere runner-up Disposition ($12) with the outside alley to overcome, the Lindsay Park-trained He Or She ($14) formerly prepared in WA with a gun Ascot record (8-6-0-1) and the reigning champion Good Project ($14).

Earlier in the week we published our exclusive 2016 Railway Stakes Form Guide & Betting Preview and based on the facts / stats uncovered in that we’ve got our insider tips below.

1^st

#16 Tradesman ($7)

There’s heavy money coming in for this local Trade Fair five-year-old and while plenty are taking on the Perth form, we’re happy to follow the money trail and back this runner at the light weight over a mile. He’s undefeated at the distance (3-3-0-0) and will relish the extra meters after two good runs over 1400m here this time in. He won first-up defeating Scales Of Justice, who subsequently won last weekend’s RJ Peters. The Lee Steere Stakes third at weight-for-age was good, he was beaten only three quarters of a length and drops from 59kg to 53kg for the Railway.

2^nd

#6 Perfect Reflection ($5.50)

History shows that she won’t win with the weight (54.5kg), but this Ascot specialist and Group 1 winning mare is in red hot form and is drawn to win in barrier two. Her Lee Steere win was solid and she’ll be improving. Pike has opted to stay aboard after having the pick of the stablemates and she’ll be right there in the finish.

3^rd

#7 Mackintosh ($6.50)

The barrier 16 (into 13) isn’t as bad as some are making out especially as three of the past four Railway Stakes winners won from barrier 11 or 12. Waller took it out 12 months ago and is back to do it again with Oliver riding this Pins four-year-old who has been strong in Group 1 class over this distance in Melbourne. Epsom Handicap third and Cantala Stakes fifth saw him beaten under two lengths combined. Likely to be better over 1800 in the Kingston Town Classic, but he’s going very well and could be the one to beat here if the Perth form fails.

Whether you’re backing or sacking our 2016 Railway Stakes Tips, make sure you’ve got access to Odds Boost Extra (T&Cs apply) on the race through Ladbrokes.com.au.