In-form local mare Galaxy Star remains at the top of the betting after drawing an inside barrier in the 2018 Group 1 $1m Kirin Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
Craig Williams, above, rides Iconoclasm in the 2018 Railway Stakes at Ascot in Perth. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Grant and Alana Williams trained Galaxy Star, who races in the pink and white colours of prominent Perth owner Bob Peters, draw barrier two in the fifteen horse Railway Stakes field and remains the favourite at $3.20 with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Galaxy Star likes to race just off the pace and Peters can see her settling near the fence with plenty of traffic around her, but will rely on the skill of Perth’s leading jockey William Pike to manoeuvre her into a winning position when heads are turned for home.
“I would have preferred to have drawn out a bit further,” Peters told The West Australian.
“I’d say she’ll have a few in front of her and William (Pike) will be looking to angle out. She’s well and ready to go.”
Pike has been aboard Galaxy Star for ten of her twelve race starts which includes eight of her nine wins as she worked his way up through the grades and goes into Saturday’s Group 1 Railway Stakes on the back of a win in the Group 3 $150,000 South African Airways Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) at Ascot in Perth on November 3.
The Darren Weir trained Peaceful State at $4.80 and Iconoclasm at $9 are the next two in the betting and have drawn at the opposite ends of the starting gates.
Peaceful State has drawn barrier four with apprentice Ben Allen to ride while Iconoclasm came up with the twelve marble with Craig Williams in the saddle.
Weir’s number one man Jarrod McLean is in Perth looking after the team and is leaning towards Peaceful State as the stable’s pick in the Railway Stakes.
“I absolutely love this horse and he deserves a Group 1,” McLean said.
“Obviously he’ll be in the second half of the field and if he can negotiate clear traffic, he’s got a barnstorming finish. I guess from the draw now, I’ve got a leaning towards Peaceful State.”
McLean can see Iconoclasm going forward from the wide gate to settle in the first half of the field and expects the four year old to figure in the finish as well.
“He’s a horse that races in the first half of the field. He’s in great order,” McLean said.
Last start Lee Steere Stakes winner Gatting has drawn the rails and is marked at $14 while Galaxy Star’s stablemate Action is listed at $12 after drawing the outside gate.
Betting for the 2018 Railway Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.20 Galaxy Star, $4.80 Peaceful State, $9 Iconoclasm, $12 Action, Great Shot, $14 Material Man, Man Booker, Mister Sea Wolf, Gatting, $16 Prized Icon, Achernar Star, $34 Perfect Jewel, $101 Disposition Star Exhibit, $151 Wrinkly.
2018 Railway Stakes Field and Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45221x111x | MATERIAL MAN | Justin Warwick | Ms Lucy Warwick | 5 | 57kg |
| 2 | 18x522x233 | GREAT SHOT | Rhys Radford | Craig Staples | 10 | 55.5kg |
| 3 | 13x79x2114 | MAN BOOKER | Daniel Morton | Paul Harvey | 11 | 55kg |
| 4 | 7x544431x1 | GATTING | Darren Mcauliffe | Damian Lane | 1 | 54kg |
| 5 | 630×355424 | PRIZED ICON | Kris Lees | Ben Melham | 9 | 54kg |
| 6 | 2309561180 | MISTER SEA WOLF (IRE) | Chris Waller | Michael Dee | 6 | 53.5kg |
| 7 | 20110×2053 | PEACEFUL STATE | Darren Weir | Ben Allen (a) | 4 | 53.5kg |
| 8 | 223x70x132 | ACHERNAR STAR | Simon A Miller | Shaun Mc Gruddy | 14 | 53kg |
| 9 | x33251x225 | ACTION | Grant & Alana Williams | Patrick Carbery | 15 | 53kg |
| 10 | 8x1850x384 | DISPOSITION | Chris Gangemi | Shaun O’Donnell | 8 | 53kg |
| 11 | x1x2111x21 | GALAXY STAR | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 2 | 53kg |
| 12 | 1113×38118 | ICONOCLASM | Darren Weir | Craig Williams | 12 | 53kg |
| 13 | 1x11414x68 | PERFECT JEWEL | Grant & Alana Williams | Craig Newitt | 7 | 53kg |
| 14 | 12x9L54x77 | STAR EXHIBIT | Adam Durrant | Joseph Azzopardi | 13 | 53kg |
| 15 | 1322196×54 | WRINKLY | Neville Parnham | Steven Parnham | 3 | 53kg |
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