Railway Stakes Preview

Matt Rigby | Metropolitan Racing | Fri 18 November, 2011

Enough has been said about the quality of the Railway this year, so we'll save it for the memoirs. Its a great race on paper with some diverse formlines through Aveinus, Playing God, He's Remarkable, Spacecraft and then through the locals Kincaple and the sprinters Waratah's Secret and King Kool Kat.

The obvious pace will be from Westriver Kevydon, who has taken his form to another level, leading and winning the Peters Stakes last weekend. He'll get the front easily enough again in this, but will no doubt experience some pressure from the likes of Rocky Range, Mega Steel and even King Kool Kat and Ringmeister. Westriver Kevydon is best allowed to stride and Carbery knows this....so the race will be truly run.

Avienus has been racing predominantly in Group races this spring. She is very well performed but will go to the railway in her eighth run this campaign. I feel she is probably at the end of her campaign and also had a setback coming over. He's Remarkable won a lesser mile race on Oaks Day after placing in the Crystal Mile. Not sure about the NZ form but he must be a claim with McEvoy drawn 1.

Playing God tackles this race as a bit of a tack on too. He raced well in Melbourne in top company, but his last two runs were just ok and he has been up a while now. I couldn't recommend him.

Ranger was dynamic at his last start, trouncing Grand Nirvana and Waratah's Secret at equal weights. He tried a few of his old tricks, but Pike was having none of that and kept him going straight and finishing off strongly. If he races a little more truly again, he's definitely the one to beat, especially dropping weight on his last run.

Waratah's Secret is the forgotten horse. While he is a big query at the mile, his worst run this time in was last start where he still ran third. Blinkers come off for only the second time ever. The only other time, was a narrow win. Harvey goes back on and his record on the horse is impressive. No one else has ever won on him. If he settles and gets the mile, he can give this a shake.

Kincaple has been plonked in early markets and while he was impressive in the winter, he's never run against anything like this field. The Brave Knights, Battle Emblems, Monumentals and Reverend Lovejoys would be at long odds in this. First up, drawn 15, into a tough mile race, he couldn't win for mine.

Luckygray beat a weak Asian Beau field with a leg in the air. Its a shame about his barrier here because drawn an alley, he'd be mighty hard to beat. If they go hard enough, I expect him to be right in the finish, but he may need a bit of luck. Tranquility can also run a nice race, but she'll have to come from near on last. She'll probably be passing the tired ones in the run home and can finish midfield or better.

Ranger, Waratah's Secret, Luckygray for me with a distinctly local flavour.