Local hero Scales Of Justice has been installed the favourite to score back to back wins in the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Former Perth jockey Damian Lane will ride Ulmann, above in blue and red colours, in the 2017 Railway Stakes at Ascot. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Scales Of Justice beat the Chris Waller trained Good Project in last year’s $1m Handicap and is currently the $5.50 favourite with Ladbrokes.com.au to make it two in a row.
The five year old campaigned in Melbourne during the 2017 Spring Carnival for a second to Redkirk Warrior in the Group 2 $200,000 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) down the Flemington straight on September 16 but then missed a place when seventh to Santa Ana Lane in the Group 1 $500,000 Keno Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 1.
Prominent Perth trainer Lindsey Smith then took Scales Of Justice back to the West to prepare for the Perth Summer Carnival with a third behind Silverstream and Great Shot in the Group 2 $250,000 WAROA-Lee Steere Stakes (1400km) at Ascot on November 11.
Scales Of Justice is being pressured at the top of the Railway Stakes market order by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Supply And Demand who is the second favourite at $6 just ahead of the Darren Weir trained and former West Australian galloper Black Heart Bart at $7.50.
Supply And Demand is the up and coming galloper who has worked his way up through the grades and showed plenty of promise during the Melbourne Spring Carnival with a second to Hellova Street in the Group 3 $200,000 TCL TV Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Kennedy Oaks Day during Melbourne Cup week.
Black Heart Bart has been given the top weight of 59kg for the Railway Stakes but was held winless over the Melbourne Spring Carnival with his best effort being a second to Vega Magic in the Group 1 $1m New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 2 and has been freshened up after running fifth to Bonneval in the Group 1 $750,000 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on October 1.
Weir also has Ulmann, a $13 chance, heading to the Railway Stakes with Melbourne based former Perth jockey Damian Lane booked to ride the six year old gelding.
Ulmann was a winner two starts back for Lane in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Moonga Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on October 21 before finishing fourth to Hellova Street in the TCL TV Stakes.
“It’s good to go back,” Lane told AAP.
“It’s good racing and good prize money.
“I’ll be riding there (Perth) the next three Saturdays.”
Early betting for the 2017 Railway Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $5.50 Scales Of Justice, $6 Supply And Demand, $7.50 Black Heart Bart, $8 Tom Melbourne, $9 All Our Roads, $10 Silverstream, $13 Sovereign Nation, Cosmic Storm, Ulmann, $17 Life Less Ordinary, Royal Star, $21 Gatting, Material Man, Pounamu, State Solicitor, $26 Ellicazoom, $34 or better the rest.