Railway Stakes preview & betting strategy | November 19, 2022

What	2022 Railway Stakes
Where	Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104
When	Saturday, November 19, 2022 \| 4:45pm AWST \| Race 8
Prizemoney	$1,500,000
Distance	1600m
Status	Group 1
Conditions	Handicap \| Three-year-olds and upwards
2021 Winner	Western Empire (3) \| T: Grant & Alana Williams \| J: William Pike (53kg)
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The Railway Stakes is one of the feature mile races on the Australian racing calendar as the best from the west take on the eastern raiders who make the trip over to Perth to compete in the $1.5 million race. This year’s edition has attracted four runners from the eastern seaboard, while the other 16 runners will be locals from Western Australia. The winner of the 1600m feature will take home a cool $822,000.

Online bookmakers have opened their market with the Daniel Morton-trained Alaskan God as the $4.20 favourite, closely followed by Colin Webster’s star four-year-old, Trix Of The Trade ($5). The only other runner under double figures is Karlis Karma ($8), while Treasured Star and Ironclad sit next in betting ($10).

The speed map for the Railway Stakes should see Buster Bash and Marocchino cross the field from wide barriers and look to take up the lead. There are several on-speed runners in this race that will be looking to settle in the first six or better than midfield, including Resortman, Yonkers, Comfort Me and Karli’s Karma. The backmarkers and swoopers who will be hoping for a fairer track this weekend are Trix Of The Trade, Alaskan God, Kaptain Kaos and Treasured Star.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2022 Railway Stakes.

Trix Of The Trade comes to the Group 1 Railway Stakes after two very good runs at 1400m this preparation. Now that this son of Trade Fair is third-up and rises to the 1600m for the first time this preparation it looks very suitable for him to have a crack at a Group 1 this Saturday in what looks to be a slightly below average field. Last start Troy Turner rode this gelding, as he will on Saturday, and he got too far back after taking his medicine from barrier 16 over 1400m in the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes. After drawing barrier eight for the Railway Stakes, Turner won’t have to get as far back and he can look to slot in one horse off the rail just worse than midfield. If this guy is within four lengths of the leaders on the home turn and in clear air, he will be storming home down the outside in the concluding stages.

The runner that we think is well over the odds is the David Harrison-trained Buster Bash who is currently $21 with online bookmakers and considered one of the outsiders in the market. This five-year-old son of Trade Fair has won four of his last five starts, including the Listed Luckygray where he led all the way over 1800m. This guy has competed in 10 races of distances over 1600m or more, with a record of seven wins and two placings. Comparing him to many of his rivals on Saturday, he would be one of the more consistent milers or stayers in the field. At $21 for the win and $6 to run a place, we are more than happy to have a saver on him, if he gets his own way out in front.

Alaskan God is the race favourite for the Group 1 Railway Stakes on Saturday. This lightly raced son of Playing God has won five of his first seven starts of his career including his ultra-impressive in the Group 2 WATC Derby, by three lengths. After his first-up run in the Group 3 Asian Beau first-up, it looks as though he was looking for more than 1400m, but considering he has drawn barrier 14 of 16 on Saturday, Chris Parnham will have to go right to the back of the field and may be giving them too much of a start.

The Adam Durrant-trained Treasured Star comes into the feature after beating most of this field in the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes back on October 29. This four-year-old mare has drawn the widest barrier so she will more than likely go back, but don’t discount her as she did win the WA Guineas this time last year.