The Dan Morton-trained Alaskan God is the well-supported favourite to return to winning form second-up sitting top of the markets for the Railway Stakes 2022 in Perth this weekend.

William Pike rides Treasured Star in Saturday’s 2022 Railway Stakes field. Photo: Steve Hart.

Saturday racing in WA is headlined by the time-honoured Group 1 Furphy Railway Stakes (1600m), the mile classic offering an unprecedented $1.5 million in stakes this year.

A capacity Railway Stakes field will face off in the handicap clash this season with markets at Ladbrokes.com.au dominated by Playing God four-year-old Alaskan God at $4.40.

The gelding, to be ridden by Chris Parnham, has drawn gate 14 but could come into 12 with all four emergencies out.

A winner of five of his seven starts, and four from five at the Ascot track, this year’s Group 2 W.A.T.C. Derby (2400m) winner is up to a mile after his sixth fresh only 1.2 lengths beaten on October 29 in the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m).

Now into an equal quote of $4.40 in the Railway Stakes odds is the early market mover Trix Of The Trade presenting fit third-up in gate eight.

Colin Webster’s consistent Trade Fair four-year-old has a 50% winning strike rate from eight runs at the track and is out to atone for his 11^th to Alaskan God in April’s Derby.

He was good first-up winning here narrowly over 1400m with a hefty 61kg before a third only a half-length beaten in a blanket finish to the Asian Beau Stakes.

Occupying the second line of Railway Stakes betting this Perth Festival of Racing and the only other runner at single-figures is the Summer Dickson-trained Karli’s Karma ($7).

Shaun O’Donnell rides the progressive five-year-old Deep Field mare who won her opening two starts with more weight in easier company this prep before going down a nostril flare when second to Massimo in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) on November 5.

She drops notably from 57kg in the Lee Steere to just 53kg in the Railway Stakes weights and is out to be the third mare in five years along with Galaxy Star (2018) and Inspirational Girl (2020) to win.

There are a host of last start winners in the Railway Stakes field this season including Lou Luciani’s Northam Cup champ Marocchino ($31), last Saturday’s Listed Luckgray Stakes winner over the 1800m Buster Bash ($21) chasing a fifth win in six starts, Jim Taylor’s Awesome Rock mare Searchin’ Roc’s ($15) who won the Group 3 RJ Peters Stakes (1500m) on the quick back-up, and Treasured Star ($11).

The Adam Durrant-trained four-year-old Toronado mare Treasured Star took her record up to four wins from seven starts in the Asian Beau.

Winner of the WA Guineas at this track and distance on Railway Stakes Day last year, she has suffered an early blow ahead of her Group 1 bid drawing the far outside alley.

Jockey William Pike is back home for the ride chasing an impressive sixth Railway Stakes winning ride and his incredible fifth in a row following recent victories aboard Galaxy Star (2018), Regal Power (2019), Inspirational Girl (2020) and Western Empire (2021).

All four of those Railway Stakes winners have been prepared by Grant & Alana Williams, while Grant Williams also trained Pike’s 2014 winning ride Elite Belle.

Surprisingly, the Williams’ stable is without a runner in the Railway Stakes this year.

The Railway Stakes 2022 is set to run as Ascot Race 8 at 4:45pm (AWST) local time or 7:45pm (AEDT).

Click here for the latest Railway Stakes betting markets, courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2022 Railway Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

Table Credit: Racing Australia.