Cover image courtesy of Western Racepix
Racing traditionalists will be the first to tell you the importance of 1600-metre handicaps, their legacy as an ultimate equaliser felt globally.
Australia has a number of these historic features, races such as the G1 Epsom H. in Sydney and the G1 Toorak H. in Melbourne, but another that has its own rich tapestry is the G1 Railway S. in Perth.
Decorated history
Gaining its name from the railway line from Bayswater Station to Ascot Racecourse, it wasn’t the first 'Railway Stakes' run in Western Australia, with the Swan Turf Club hosting a commemoration of the amalgamation of the Fremantle and Midland rail lines in 1881. Six years later, the inaugural running of the Railway Stakes as we know it today occurred, won by Nimrod (breeding details unknown), who defeated a four-horse field as a 3-year-old.
Restricted until 1895 to Western Australian-bred horses only, the early iterations of the race were dominated by the stallion Two Of Hearts, siring the winner of three consecutive editions from 1890 to 1892; Wandering Willie, Will-O’-The-Wisp and Lord Byron.
Initially run over 2000 metres until 1921 (excluding 1893, where it was run over 1600 metres), the 1896 edition was won by Florrie (War Cry), owned by GA Towton, an early pioneer of racing in Western Australia. He is honoured with the Listed GA Towton Cup, run in December, and features on a plaque on St. George’s Terrace in the Perth CBD, describing him as a, “horse racing pioneer”.
Trophies for the 2023 G1 Railway S. | Image courtesy of Perth Racing
The change to running over 1600 metres coincided with the rise of Jolly Beggar as a prolific Railway S. stallion. One of the most decorated racehorses in Western Australian history, he completed the Karrakatta Plate-WATC Derby-Perth Cup treble, placing him alongside only Eurythmic to lay claim to this accomplishment. His progeny continued his legacy, claiming Railway success in 1923, 1924, 1927 and 1932, via Jolly Handsome, Borgia, Jolly Odd and Jolly Fair.
Not even World War II could stop the Railway from being run, with the 1943 winner Beaufine (Sansofine {GB}) standing out as the most notable winner from the era. Seven years after the war, in 1952, the distance was altered again, this time down to 1500 metres.
Aquanita was victorious in 1959, he would go on to a host of races in Victoria in the early 1960s, including the 1962 WS Cox Plate. His stallion career was severely hampered due to being a non-Stud Book horse, owing to a lack of clarity around the pedigree of his dam, Reinata (Panto).
Better Loosen Up is one of a few who won the G1 Railway Stakes – Kingston Town Classic double | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Talented son of Makarpura (GB), Tudor Mak, won consecutive Railways in 1966 and 1967, the best of his progeny being Listed Challenge S. winner Iron Mak. To date, he is the only horse to win the race in consecutive years.
Champion racehorses Detonator and Asian Beau claimed victory in 1975 and 1979 respectively, before the race shifted back to the 1600-metre start from 1982. Jungle Dawn (Jungle Boy {GB}), grandam to stakes-winner Missile Launch (Smart Missile), won the January 1987 running, which was held over from 1986 due to programming changes.
One of the finest horses on the honour roll, Better Loosen Up was victorious in 1989, while the iconic ‘Fighting Tiger’ Northerly (Serheed {USA}) used the 2000 edition of the race to launch a career that would include two WS Cox Plate victories. His original sparring partner, Old Comrade (Old Spice) would win the year after.
Another Western Australian champion, Luckygray (Bradbury’s Luck), won his first Railway 10 years later in 2011, amongst highly controversial circumstances as a protest for interference at the 600-metre mark, relegated the first horse home, He’s Remarkable (NZ) to second. Luckygray would go on to win a second Railway in 2013, this time carrying top weight.
Modern-day Railway Stakeses have followed the trend of Western Australian racing as a whole throughout the period, being dominated by the cerise and white colours of levithan owner-breeder Bob Peters. He won four in a row from 2018-2021, thanks to Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice), Regal Power (Pierro), Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) and Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}). One of the stories of the racing year came out of the 2022 edition, with veteran trainer Colin Webster securing his first Group 1 in over 40 years, with Trix Of The Trade (Trade Fair {GB}) storming away with the prize under Webster’s former apprentice, Troy Turner.
Trix Of The Trade, winner of the G1 Railway S. in 2022 | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Legacies
Jolly Beggar rules the roost for the number of winners produced as a stallion with four, edging out Two Of Hearts, who has three. In more recent times, Not A Single Doubt was successful in consecutive years with Good Project in 2015 and Scales Of Justice in 2016.
Jolly Beggar | Image courtesy of Racing and Wagering Western Australia
Only two horses have won the Railway in the 21st century having been bred outside Australia, Inspirational Girl and Western Empire in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Jeune (GB) has two wins since 2018 as a damsire, with Galaxy Star alongside Western Empire, while Old Spice sired the 2001 winner Old Comrade, and was the damsire of 2003 winner Hardrada (Marooned {GB}).
Within the jockey ranks, William Pike stands in isolation with five wins, four of which came in the ‘Peters era’ of the race between 2018 and 2021. He also won (for Peters again) in 2014 aboard talented mare Elite Belle (Canny Lad). Frank Treen, who on Thursday was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame, ranks second with four, with veteran jockey Paul Harvey joined by Jack Marshall and Jimmie Miller on three. Miller’s three came in consecutive years, from 1929 to 1931.
William Pike | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Another benefactor of the recent cerise and white dominance is the training partnership of Grant and Alana Williams, who top the list with four, although Grant is credited with five, having been training in his own name when Elite Belle won in 2014. There are four trainers with three wins each; Bob Burns, Herbert Holmes, Ted McAuliffe and Pat Ward.
Fancied runners dominate
Recent editions have seen the market get the race right more often than not, with a number of horses kept safe on bookmakers’ boards saluting. Trix Of The Trade left his barrier a $5 chance last year, while Western Empire burned around Ascot at $1.60 in 2021, believed to be the shortest-priced winner in the history of the race.
Inspirational Girl was $2.60 when victorious in 2020, with Regal Power starting at $10 in 2019, the highest since 2017, when Great Shot (Magnus) won at $31.
The 2023 edition
Barring any late surprises, a full field of 16 should tackle the 2023 running of the race, with three emergencies on standby in case any of the current starters drop out.
The best of the locals this year looks to be Alsephina (Star Turn), a winner of nine races from 13 starts. Her record, coupled with William Pike riding for Grant and Alana Williams, has seen her well-regarded by many astute judges. Bustler (Playing God) is another key Western Australian-trained horse, alongside the 7-year-old Marocchino (Maschino), who was a shock winner of the G3 Asian Beau S. earlier in November.
Local fancy Alsephina (light blue cap) will line up in the G1 Railway S. with William Pike aboard | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Plenty of quality horses have made the trip from the east coast, including last-start winner Roots (Press Statement) and Group 1-winner Tuvalu (Kermadec {NZ}). Also travelling over is Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel), who is the only non-Australian bred horse in the race.
Trix Of The Trade is looking for successive wins in the race, not achieved since Tudor Mak in 1967, while Mojo Rhythm (Playing God) could deliever a maiden Group 1 to emerging trainer Mitchell Pateman.
