Races

Runner by Runner: Railway Stakes

Posted on | Posted by Scott Embry

1. Valour Road (58kg)

Trainer: Simon Miller
Jockey: Brad Rawiller
Barrier: 17

Won the Pinjarra Magic Millions-Karrakatta Plate double as a 2-year-old back in 2018 and now as a 6-year-old goes to the Railway Stakes for the first time in his career. In 2020 he was targeted at the Winterbottom Stakes but a WFA win in the Hyperion Stakes (1600) at Belmont in winter has convinced Simon Miller that he is looking for the mile rather than the sprint trip. Building perfectly towards Grand Final Day having run third in the Birthday Stakes (1200), third in the Northerly Stakes (1400) and second in the Lee Steere Stakes (1400). Barrier has ruined what looked a well-executed game plan to date.

2. Massimo (57.5kg)

Trainer: Chris and Michael Gangemi
Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter
Barrier: 11

Yet another name on the ever-expanding list of “tried horses Chris & Michael Gangemi have improved”. The business model is simple – find horses with ability, buy them, rejuvenate them and celebrate with their hundred new owners. Not only are they bringing people to racing, they’re bringing a last start WFA winner into the famous Ascot Group 1 Mile with legitimate winning claims. On speed, rock hard fit, tough as nails and sure to be there for a long way. Stable, hoop and horse are airborne. Not a bad barrier. Should get across safely outside of Too Close The Sun and then can even get cover on the Miller pair drawn in the carpark.

3. The Velvet King (56.5kg)

Trainer: Darren McAuliffe
Jockey: Kyra Yuill
Barrier: 9

Has the raw ability to win a Railway Stakes having a CV that includes a Fairetha Stakes (1400), Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic (1400), Northerly (1400) and a Belmont Sprint (1400), however, Darren McAuliffe, connections and punters are starting to get seriously frustrated with the phrase “dwelt on jumping”. If he steps, he can put himself into a commanding position, if he doesn’t tear your ticket into confetti and head for the bar.

4. Dance Music (56kg)

Trainer: Simon Miller
Jockey: Brad Parnham
Barrier: 15

This time last year she went into the Railway at 30-1 off a Northam Cup win and finished a mile behind them before running third in the AJ Schahill and cleaning up the back end of the fillies and mares series (Starstruck Classic, 1600 & La Trice Classic, 1800). This year she’s come back to racing bigger and better again having won the Northerly Stakes (1400) and placed in the Roma Cup (1200), Belmont Sprint (1400), Hyperion Stakes (1600), Strickland Stakes (2000) and Lee Steere Stakes (1400). Bradley Parnham will need her to jump sharply and try to find a spot early.

5. Too Close The Sun (55kg)

Trainer: Lindsey Smith
Jockey: Joseph Azzopardi
Barrier: 2

Inglorious return to racing in what seems a far more rushed preparation than 2020. Hit the 2020 Railway off 7 days from the Ascot Gold Cup (1800) as his third run of the preparation, in 2021 he attacks the race second-up off a fortnight. Got to the breeze in the Lee Steere Stakes (1400) and over-raced outside the leader and eventual winner Massimo before fading back through the field to finish eighth beaten almost 5L. Massimo, Valour Road, Dance Music, The Velvet King and Kay Cee all beat him home and he needs to improve sharply second-up. Kicks through underneath them all to lead.

6. Comfort Me (53kg)

Trainer: Rhys Radford
Jockey: Peter Knuckey
Barrier: 16

Possibly the biggest pick-up ride in the Railway goes to Peter Knuckey. Comfort Me is absolutely flying and looks the kind of horse who can elevate to the next level. Whether or not he can mix it with Western Australia’s best in a Group 1 Handicap is a big query, but he would have gone around a very popular favourite in the Carbine Club had he not got a start. The way he let loose to win his last two outings is hard to ignore. If he had drawn a gate could entertain, but he didn’t.

7. Dig Deep (53kg)

Trainer: Daniel and Ben Pearce
Jockey: Patrick Carbery
Barrier: 7

The 2019 Karrakatta Plate winner has had to fight his way back to racing through a number of injury setbacks and in late 2020 proved to trainers Daniel & Ben Pearce that he deserved a crack at the TABtouch Masters Series. Winner of the Listed Grandstand Cup (1500) in April and then only finished 2.5L off Valour Road and Dance Music in the Hyperion Stakes (1600) at WFA in June. Second in the Hannans Handicap (1400) and fifth in the Northam Cup (1600) doesn’t read up like the form of a Railway Stakes winner but he could run a cheeky placing with luck.

8. Kaptain Kaos (53kg)

Trainer: Michael Grantham
Jockey: Lucy Warwick
Barrier: 10

Has burst onto the scene in the last 3 months and put Michael Grantham on the map as one of the most promising young trainers in the State. Won a 1200m 60+ Graduation first-up at Belmont Park as a m70 rater and since that day has skyrocketed to a m95 rater with three more victories including the Northam Cup. Will be winning some big-name races over the next 12-18 months and meets Kissonallforcheeks 2.5kg better at the weights from their encounter 7-days earlier. His race pattern doesn’t make him an easy steer and Lucy Warwick has her work cut out from the gate.

9. Kay Cee (53kg)

Trainer: Neville Parnham
Jockey: Steven Parnham
Barrier: 6

2019 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winner and one of the most popular gallopers in Western Australia. Won the Lee Steere Stakes (1400) at Weight For Age in 2020 as a 4 year old mare and then lost regular rider Steven Parnham to injury leading into the Railway Stakes when finishing 7L off Inspirational Girl. Didn’t come up over winter with three poor performances and while she has finished more than 4.5L off the winner at both runs this time in she is back attacking the line and looking more like her old self again. Gets considerable weight swings on many key rivals as a m101 rater in a 101+ handicap. Drawn perfectly.

10. Kissonallforcheeks (53kg)

Trainer: Daniel Morton
Jockey: Chris Parnham
Barrier: 1

Like many of Danny Morton’s gallopers is young, progressive and a winning machine. In her 15 start career she has returned victorious in over 50% of outings having won a Sir Ernest Lee Steere Classic (1400), WA Breeders Classic (1400) and an RJ Peters (1500) just last Saturday. Amongst her defeats are Challenge Stakes (1500) and Burgess Queen Stakes (1400) second placings. Has met Western Empire three times in her career and beaten him twice and jumped $2.05 in the Asian Beau Stakes (1400) when nothing went right for her. Dangerous late from an identical map to her Peters win.

11. Naughty By Nature (53kg)

Trainer: Jason Miller
Jockey: Jordan Turner
Barrier: 12

12 months ago on Winterbottom Stakes Day she was in the Listed Jungle Dawn Classic (1400) as she contested the Fillies and Mares Series. Beaten by Dance Music in the 2020 Starstruck (1600) and 2020 La Trice (1800) at Set Weights & Penalties when carrying 3.5kg less than her on both occasions. Copped a massive 15-point whack from the handicapper when winning the Strickland Stakes (2000) at Belmont over winter to bring her rating to a m97 which is enough to get her into a Railway, but her fifth placings in the Northerly Stakes (1400) and Asian Beau Stakes (1400) suggest she’s not quite up to them.

12. Notorious One (53kg)

Trainer: Chris and Michael Gangemi
Jockey: Shaun O’Donnell
Barrier: 4

Possibly the biggest X-Factor horse in Western Australia. Big, raw, untapped, gifted, talented and exciting are just some of the positive adjectives you could use to describe him, on the other hand, frustrating, wayward, unreliable and dumb are also adjectives which just as accurately define this polarising galloper. He is the kind of horse punters will quickly fall into a love-hate relationship with. Me – I’m a lover. Think he is every bit as talented as the top 3 in the market and Shaun O’Donnell might just be the unique (another adjective) style of rider that can see him go straight (jokes) *straighter.

13. Platoon (53kg)

Trainer: Neville Parnham
Jockey: Jason Brown
Barrier: 14

Jury is out on Platoon after three runs this campaign where he has found the new kids on the block a little too slick and sharp. Has stretched out to the 2400m of the Perth Cup previously and starting to wonder where Neville Parnham takes him this year. To the eye he is not going as well as he was in 2020 when went around 20-1 and finished ninth beaten 3.8L. Needs to turn things around. Barrier and current form say he’ll jump triple figures.

14. Son Of Bacchus (53kg)

Trainer: Rhys Radford
Jockey: Jason Whiting
Barrier: 8

Ran out of his skin the in RJ Peters (1500) last weekend when posting a big career PB. Thrown in the deep end here and doubt he can match it with his stablemate (Comfort Me) let alone the majority of rivals. You’ve got to be in it to win it and I’m sure lots of people wrote off Great Shot in the same set of colours in 2017. No doubt Rhys Radford wishes he could swap the barriers of his two acceptors.

15. Tellem We’re Comin (53kg)

Trainer: Daniel Morton
Jockey: Troy Turner
Barrier: 13

Has turned back the clock in the care of Danny Morton this season adding a Farnley Stakes (1400) and placings in the Belmont Newmarket (1200), Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300) and Northam Cup (1600) to his list of feature successes. Caught flat footed in the Lee Steere Stakes when the sprint went on but was coming again on the line. Blinkers re-attached for Railway Day in an attempt to find another length or two but on face value he’ll need to find another three or four on top of that.

16. Western Empire (53kg)

Trainer: Grant and Alana Williams
Jockey: William Pike
Barrier: 3

Took five starts to break his duck in a lowly 1100m maiden at Northam in October of 2020. Since that day he has won the Lex Piper Stakes (1600), JC Roberts Stakes (1800), Melvista Stakes (2200), WATC Derby (2400) and most recently the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400) first-up in a performance that can only be described as arrogant and emphatic. Went around on the second line of betting behind Kissonallforcheeks and absolutely let rip when William Pike released the handbrake to stamp himself as the horse to beat in this year’s Railway. Punters have been queuing up for weeks to back him All-In and he will start one of the shortest price Railway favourites in recent history.

SELECTION: WESTERN EMPIRE

Is all the rage going into the 2021 Railway Stakes after such a dominant return to racing in the Asian Beau. He showed that he didn’t just beat up on moderate 3 year olds last preparation but that he is one of the most exciting and progressive horses in WA. Going to get shorter and shorter in betting and will start odds on in a Group 1.

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