After a terrific end to Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival at Sandown last Saturday, the spotlight shifts a lazy 3500 kilometres west to Perth in Western Australia for a trio of black-type meetings at Ascot, one of the city’s two courses. The Perth carnival has been repackaged as the TABtouch Masters, the world’s first single-track festival featuring a Group 1 race worth at least $1,000,000 on three successive Saturdays. It all kicks-off this weekend with the AUD $1 million Group 1 James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes, run under traditional handicap conditions over 1600m.
The heat is on
Unlike last week’s card at Sandown, punters need to be wary of the different starting positions on this picturesque circuit, which sits on the banks of the Swan River. Ascot features just three turns, two of which are particularly sharp. There’s only a run of about 300m to the first corner from the 1600m chute start but history shows that hasn’t been an impediment in the Railway with the past four winners coming from either barrier 11 or 12. Track conditions are rarely an issue at this time of the year in Perth – the maximum daily temperature rarely dips below 30°C so firm conditions are the norm.
A proud history
The Railway Stakes dates back almost as long as many of the major races run on the eastern seaboard, with Nimrod winning the first edition back in 1887. It was a mainstay of the New Year’s Day racing program until the Western Australian Turf Club shifted major carnival races to late November. Just four horses have won both the Railway mile and the WFA Kingston Town Classic (1800m) traditionally run two weeks later – Better Loosen Up (1989), Old Comrade (2001), Modem (2004) and Sniper’s Bullet (2009). Northerly won the Railway in 2000 while hometown favourite Luckygray uniquely saluted in 2011 and 2013.
Raiders take on locals
One of the unique features of this carnival is the battle of east and west as a handful of trainers from Sydney and Melbourne chase the late spring riches on offer. There are five engaged in this year’s Railway – Chris Waller duo Mackintosh ($6.50 with William Hill) and Good Project ($14 with William Hill), Darren Weir’s Rageese ($8.00 with William Hill), He Or She from the Hayes/Dabernig camp ($16.00 with William Hill) and highly rated NZ gelding Kawi ($19.00 with William Hill). Local hope Perfect Reflection is the $5.00 favourite for the big Bob Peters team, trainers Grant and Alana Williams and champion WA hoop William Pike (54.5kg) from gate 2.
Back the Mack
It’s possible to make a case for about half of the 16 runners, but we’ve settled on the Group 1 form of Waller’s Mackintosh. Barrier 16 is far from ideal, but he has former Perth boy Damien Oliver aboard and carries just 54kg. The 4yo gelding was third in a blanket finish in the G1 Epsom (1600m) and Randwick before being nabbed late in the G1 Cantala (1600m) at Flemington on Derby Day, finishing 1.4L back in fifth. He’s won six of 11 career starts, including five of nine on good surfaces. A fair proportion of this field are unproven over the mile, but there’s no doubt this bloke will still be strong at the line.
Much to like about Pike
An other highlight of the day is the AUD $500,000 Group 1 Sky Racing WA Guineas (1600m) for the three-year-olds. It’s an equally open affair, Ellicazoom, one of three fillies engaged, rated a $4.80 favourite with Ladbrokes. However, another five runners are rated better than $10 chances. One of those is Get Over It ($8.00 on Ladbrokes), trained on this track by Trevor Andrews and ridden here by Pike after the suspension of Paul Harvey. In contrast to the bulk of these, he looks ready for the step to 1600m and finished fourth in the traditional lead-up, the Fairetha Stakes here two ago after being held up in the straight.
Betfair:
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Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
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Bet365:
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