| What | 2021 Railway Stakes |
| Where | Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 |
| When | Saturday, November 20, 2021 | 4:45pm AWST | Race 8 |
| Prizemoney | $1,000,000 |
| Distance | 1600m |
| Status | Group 1 |
| Race Conditions | Handicap | Three-Year-Olds & Up |
| 2020 Winner | Inspirational Girl (8) | Jockey: William Pike (53kg) | Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams |
| Watch Live | |
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Streaming Live at Sportsbet |
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The Group 1 Railway Stakes helps kicks off the Ascot Racing Carnival this Saturday afternoon. HorseBetting’s West Australian form analyst presents his runner-by-runner preview, top selections and betting strategy for the $1 million handicap over 1600m.
Valour Road
1. Valour Road (17)
6yo G | T: Simon Miller | J: Brad Rawiller (58kg)
Having split Massimo and Dance Music in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes on November 6, the Simon Miller-trained Valour Road comes to the Railway Stakes in fine form. The Frost Giant gelding tends to do his best racing up on speed, and from barrier 17 on Saturday, Brad Rawiller will have no other option but to roll forward and pray for a bit luck. With the wide gate and top weight of 58kg, we are happy to let Valour Road go around without our money on.
Massimo
2. Massimo (11)
5yo G | T: Chris & Michael Gangemi | J: Clint Johnston-Porter (57.5kg)
The Chris & Michael Gangemi-trained Massimo was an impressive all-the-way winner of the Lee Steere Stakes last time out and has been racing consistently well alongside Valour Road and Dance Music. His last-start win was his first crack at Group 2 level, so this will be his maiden run at the top tier. From barrier 11, we expect Clint Johnston-Porter to go forward and set a genuine tempo. Whether he can hold on over the final 100m will be the query, but considering he is rock-hard fit, he is certainly not the worst chance.
The Velvet King
3. The Velvet King (9)
6yo G | T: Darren McAuliffe | J: Kyra Yuill (56.5kg)
The Darren McAuliffe-trained The Velvet King is as honest as the day is long, but the 1600m is always the query with him. The son of Universal Ruler will look to roll forward, but we expect the final 200m to be his downfall.
Dance Music
4. Dance Music (19)
6yo M | T: Simon Miller | J: Brad Parnham (56kg)
Dance Music finished two lengths off Valour Road when they last met in the Lee Steere Stakes and only went to the line evenly. She is a mare with plenty of heart but looks to be one or two grades out of her division here.
Too Close The Sun
5. Too Close The Sun (2)
6yo G | T: Lindsey Smith | J: Joseph Azzopardi (55kg)
Lindsey Smith knows a thing or two about winning Group 1 races, but if he can get Too Close The Sun into the winner’s stall on Saturday, it will be one hell of an achievement. He simply couldn’t go with the likes of Massimo, Valour Road and Dance Music in the Lee Steere and will need to make up close to five lengths and then some on that pair if he is to be a winning hope.
Comfort Me
6. Comfort Me (16)
5yo G | T: Rhys Radford | J: Peter Knuckey (53kg)
Rhys Radford stunned the racing world when he trained Great Shot to victory in the 2017 Railway Stakes, and it would be an equally big surprise if Comfort Me was to win the race four years on. He has won consecutive RTG72+ events over 1400m and 1500m at Ascot, but this looks to be too big a step up in class.
Dig Deep
7. Dig Deep (7)
5yo G | T: Daniel & Ben Pearce | J: Patrick Carbery (53kg)
The Daniel & Ben Pearce-trained Dig Deep was comfortably beaten by Kaptain Kaos in the Listed Northam Cup on October 24 and has not tasted success since his win in the Listed Grandstand Cup on March 20 this year. The $71 seems a fair quote.
Kaptain Kaos
8. Kaptain Kaos (10)
4yo G | T: Michael Grantham | J: Lucy Warwick (53kg)
Kaptain Kaos has done little to no wrong this campaign, winning four of his six starts this time in. He will be the one who settles last in this field, but his turn of foot is electric and he looks to be way over the odds at $19. The four-year-old gelding won the Northam Cup in impressive fashion two starts back, before reeling off impressive sectionals when beaten not all that far in the Group 3 RJ Peters Stakes. With a genuine tempo expected over the mile, Lucy Warwick should have him in clear air approaching the home turn. With a well-timed sprint, this horse’s sheer will to win might well get him over the line in the 2021 Railway Stakes.
Kay Cee
9. Kay Cee (6)
5yo M | T: Neville Parnham | J: Steven Parnham (53kg)
The 2019 Kingston Town Classic winner will need to turn back the clock if she is to be a winning chance here. Kay Cee has not tasted success in over a year and only managed an 11th-place finish in this race last year. We expect to see her finish in the second half of the field.
Kissonallforcheeks
10. Kissonallforcheeks (1)
4yo M | T: Daniel Morton | J: Chris Parnham (53kg)
If we are giving Kaptain Kaos a chance, then the Daniel Morton-trained Kissonallforcheeks must be some sort of shot on Saturday. Once she found clear air in the RJ Peters Stakes, the Written Tycoon mare absolutely jumped out of the ground and stamped her claim as a genuine Group 1 contender. She draws barrier one here, but we expect to see Chris Parnham have her settled in the back half of the field. If she can match the turn of foot of Western Empire and Kaptain Kaos, she is a genuine winning hope.
Naughty By Nature
11. Naughty By Nature (12)
5yo M | T: Jason Miller | J: Jordan Turner (53kg)
If Naughty By Nature wins this, it would be one of the biggest surprises in recent WA racing history. She has been well beaten in both runs back this campaign, including an unappealing defeat to Western Empire in the Asian Beau Stakes last time out. Not for us.
Notorious One
12. Notorious One (4)
6yo G | T: Chris & Michael Gangemi | J: Shaun O’Donnell (53kg)
The second of the Gangemi runners was the best of the beaten brigade in the Asian Beau Stakes, finishing only two lengths off Western Empire. Notorious One was severely held up for a run in that race before exploding late and narrowing the margin. He draws barrier four on Saturday, and if Shaun O’Donnell can have him in clear air approaching the home turn, he could be one of the main chances to defeat the $1.80 favourite.
Platoon
13. Platoon (14)
6yo G | T: Neville Parnham | J: Jason Brown (53kg)
The Neville Parnham-trained Platoon is another coming into this with inconsistent form. Considering he has hardly trouble the likes of Western Empire and Kissonallforcheeks in his past two starts, it is hard to see how he features in the finish here.
Son Of Bacchus
14. Son Of Bacchus (8)
6yo G | T: Rhys Radford | J: Jason Whiting (53kg)
The Rhys Radford-trained Son Of Bacchus was the surprise runner in the RJ Peters Stakes when finishing second to Kissonallforcheeks. He had stepped out of RTG72+ events and went down by only 0.4 of a length to a genuine Group 1 fancy. The $46 looks to be overs, as he could be a wider trifecta hope.
Tellem We’re Comin
15. Tellem We’re Comin (13)
6yo G | T: Daniel Morton | J: Troy Turner (53kg)
The Daniel Morton-trained Tellem We’re Comin struggled to go with Massimo and Valour Road in the Lee Steere Stakes. The $46 looks to be a tight price based on his previous efforts this campaign. He should not be troubling a field like this.
Western Empire
16. Western Empire (3)
4yo G | T: Grant & Alana Williams | J: William Pike (53kg)
The devastating combo of Grant & Alana Williams and William Pike will be hoping they can make it consecutive wins in this race when they team up with Western Empire. The four-year-old is a $1.80 favourite heading into the first Group 1 of the Ascot Racing Carnival, but he will need to defy history as no horse has ever won this race jumping from barrier three. However, he has won five races in a row and was an impressive winner in the Asian Beau Stakes last time out. Pikey will look to have him settled in the first half a dozen, and with even luck she should be fighting out the finish.
2021 Railway Stakes emergencies
17. Media Baron (5) (53kg)
7yo G | T: David Harrison
The sole emergency of the 2021 Railway Stakes is the David Harrison-trained Media Baron, who is a $151 chance for a reason. Even if he gains a start, it is hard to see how he beats a runner home.
2021 Railway Stakes betting tips
The market would have the 2021 Railway Stakes down to one chance in Western Empire, but we expect the up-and-coming Kaptain Kaos to be a party pooper for favourite backers. He was an impressive winner of the Northam Cup two starts back, but he simply got too far out of his ground in the RJ Peters Stakes last time out. With a genuine tempo expected, Kaptain Kaos will get the race run to his liking, so we’re happy to take on the favourite and jump on the each-way price.
Selections: 8-16-10-12
| Railway Stakes $100 betting strategy | |
|---|---|
| $50 each way | Kaptain Kaos |
