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Scott Embry’s Saturday Ascot Preview.

Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Nash Rawiller
Barrier: 14
Market

Two-time New Zealand Group One winning mare (1600m WFA, April 2023 & 1600m WFA, March 2024) who only headed across to join Bjorn Baker's Australian stables as a 7 year old mare in September. She has had four Australian runs which have produced back to back Group Two 1400m wins in The Invitation (1400, Group Two, Fillies & Mares, SWP) when leading and winning by over a length with 59.5kg and another all the way win in the Hot Danish (1400, Group Two, Fillies & Mares, Set Weights). In form, tough, on speed, proven a weight carrier. She should slide across to at worst park outside Comfort Me and from there is right in the mix at double figures.

Trainer: Neville Parnham
Jockey: Jarrad Noske
Barrier: 10
Market

We're all familiar with the Bustler story: debut winning 2-year-old, toyed with the older horses as an early 3-year-old and then picked up his first feature in the Fairetha Stakes before running second to Amelia's Jewel in the WA Guineas of 2022. Returned in the autumn for a birth in the inaugural Quokka before winning a Belmont Sprint at WFA. As a four-year-old he rose to Group One Glory in the 2023 Railway Stakes and now as a 5-year-old he looks in good enough form to defend his title with fast finishing second at WFA in the Lee Steere behind Casino Seventeen the evidence. He's the 'beneficiary' of Belclare's arrival as he avoids the dreaded top weight. Great pick up for the last WA hoop to ride a Group One winner in JJ Noske.

Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams
Jockey: William Pike
Barrier: 11
Market

Just another perfect example of how good the Grant & Alana Williams operation is. Beaten 12L in a Darwin Cup, beaten 2.4L in a Gunnedah Cup (where?!) and arrived in WA as a lowly rated m72 in late 2022. Fast forward to November 2024 and he's the winner of a Bunbury Cup, Pinjarra Cup, Perth Cup and then first-up this campaign a career best ratings performance winning the Lee Steere Stakes at WFA when running past key local rivals Bustler, Magnificent Andy, Zipaway, Searchin' Roc's, Alaskan God, Trix Of The Trade, Let's Galahvant and Comfort Me. Most other years William Pike would have a 53kg ride in single figures but the planets are aligning for Casino Seventeen with Pikey sticking.

Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Barrier: 19
Market

Burst onto the scene as a 3-year-old winning four of his first six. Chris Waller played the long game with him, taking him right through his grades from a maiden to a BM100 before taking the step into Black Type company from September 2023 where he won his first Group Three at Newcastle (1500m, Handicap). His only other Group Victory was in March 2024 under James McDonald when sweeping past them at Rosehill in the Ajax Stakes (Group Two, 1500m, Quality Handicap). So far this campaign he has had four starts, beaten 4L Joliestar, beaten 5L Royal Patronage, beaten 4L Ceolwulf and Tom Kitten in the Episom (1600m, Group One Handicap) and most recently beaten under half a length in the Group 3 Craven Plate behind Lindermann over 1800m at WFA. Back markers at Ascot in a capacity line-up need a lot of luck and he's rumoured to be battling a sore foot. Red flags.

Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: James McDonald
Barrier: 2
Market

Headed to Australia for the first time in 2022 to attack the Golden Eagle when beaten 2L by I Wish I Win and Fangirl. Had another six runs overseas before settling in Australia from October 2023. Started this preparation in September as a gelding until last start hadn't exactly set the world on fire, with moderate performances in the Testa Rossa Stakes (Listed, 1400m, SWP), the Toorak (Group One, 1600m, Handicap) and the Crystal Mile (Group Two, 1600m, SWP). Comes to the Railway off a 2.3L win in the Chester Manifold when JMac jumped aboard and he bolted in. Six times Group One Placed internationally and with the best barrier and Australia's best hoop he'll be understandably popular.

Trainer: Stephen Miller
Jockey: Brad Parnham
Barrier: 1
Market

Has really come of age in the last 12 months and is racing at the peak of his powers. After winning the 2023 Hannans Handicap he went to a m90 and many thought that was probably his ceiling, but he has continued to raise the bar since. Won the Joey first-up on Quokka Day and went through the winter WFA series at Belmont when beating Let's Galahvant, Searchin' Roc's and Western Empire over 1600m in the Hyperion Stakes. Jury was out earlier this campaign as to whether he had come back as well but confident that his minor placing performances in the Eurythmic (third behind Comfort Me and Super Smink) and Lee Steere (third behind Casino Seventeen and Bustler) show that he's not far off his best. Back to a handicap is the key for him and an inside barrier the cherry on top.

Trainer: Rhys Radford
Jockey: Holly Watson
Barrier: 6
Market

Had been described in previous editions of this Runner By Runner Preview as the Fremantle Dockers of the equine world: consistently thereabouts but without anything in the trophy cabinet; however, like the Purps in 2025/26 (prayers…) that's no longer the case! Brilliant first-up winner of the Eurythmic Stakes and then led on a cold rail on Lee Steere Stakes Day in a complete forgive run. Second in the 2021 Railway behind Western Empire, second in the 2022 Railway behind Trix Of The Trade, third in the 2022 Gold Rush behind The Astrologist and Kissonallforcheeks, third in the 2023 Gold Rush behind Munhamek and Ripcord – he's never far away and can't be ruled out as an upset chance.

Trainer: Daniel & Ben Pearce
Jockey: Shaun McGruddy
Barrier: 15
Market

Is a poster boy for Pearce Racing and for the Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sales having been purchased out of Book 2 for just $10,000 in 2020. He's only a 6-year-old and yet it feels like he's been around forever, having won 12 races from 43 starts and amassing $861,210 including bonus' and has won from 1200m to 2000m including a Hannans Handicap (1400m), Northam Cup (1600m) and a Strickland Stakes (WFA, 2000). He's going to go around one of the roughies of the field in the Railway and then likely the same story in the Northerly and possibly even the Van Heemst but for a cheap yearling he's taken his ownership group on a brilliant ride and still has seasons of racing ahead of him.

Trainer: Jim Taylor
Jockey: Kyra Yuill
Barrier: 7
Market

Went four from four to start her career with three Belmont Park wins as a winter 2-year-old and a Belgravia Stakes (1200) upon return as a 3-year-old filly before running second to Buzzoom in a Burgess Queen Stakes (1400) and winning a Champion Fillies (1600). Her three-year-old year ended with a Belmont Oaks (2000m) victory and only months later she won an RJ Peters (1500) to send her into the 2022 Railway Stakes a week later. Beaten 4.5L in 2022, beaten 4.7L in 2023 and now heads into her third consecutive Railway Stakes having her fifth run of a frustrating preparation where she's raced no better than three wide the trip at her last three outings. Going really well but history says Group One level is a bridge too far for her.

10. Socks Nation (53.5kg)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Declan Bates
Barrier: 17
Market

Lightly raced Victorian 4-year-old who has only had 14 career starts and is the winner of a 1500m maiden at Sandown Lakeside (November 2023), a 1500m Moonee Valley 3-year-old BM70 (January 2024) and a Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm over 2200m at 100-1 (June 2024). So far this campaign she has had two starts, finishing 5.5L off Jimmysstar in the Weekend Hussler (1400) at 100-1 and then a surprise third behind Atishu and Amelia's Jewel in the Empire Rose over 1600m in Fillies & Mares Grade at Flemington at 60-1. She comes in with a rating of m105 which sees her sitting just half a kilo above the limit but you would think that the 1800m of the Northerly will be more up her alley and the 2100m of the Van Heemst a perfect race for her if she was to stay that long. Expect the Railway horses are a bit sharp for her.

Trainer: Mitchell Pateman
Jockey: Patrick Carbery
Barrier: 13
Market

It was Groundhog Day for Mitchell Pateman and his connections on Saturday with Mojo Rhythm winning his second RJ Peters Stakes. In 2023 he toppled Alsephina and then backed up 7 days later into the Railway Stakes with his Willy Wonka style Golden Ticket and ran an outstanding (and luckless) fifth beaten only 2.3L by Bustler, Alsephina, Dom To Shoot and Trix Of The Trade. Last weekend was his first win since and considering he measured up with 53kg in 2023 at 60-1 it's a fair guess that he'll run above market expectation again in 2024. Top half would be another great performance. Victory would be a genuine surprise.

Trainer: Aneasham & R Archibald
Jockey: Clint Johnston-Porter
Barrier: 9
Market

Like Socks Nation is a lightly raced interstate 4-year-old, but the winner of only two races to date. A 1600m Scone Maiden by 1.4L at $1.24 in September 2023 and a BM72 at the Kensington track over 1800m. To put things into perspective, the BM72 races equate to ~60+ Graduation at Ascot, so that's no where near enough to justify being in a Railway Stakes, so where did the all his points come from? In March he finished second in the Canberra Guineas (1400), four starts later he finished second in the Gunsynd at Eagle Farm (1600) and more recently he stepped out in the Silver Eagle (sixth beaten 2.3L) and Golden Eagle (sixth beaten 2.1L). Went around 100-1 in the Golden Eagle and his rating was dragged upwards (13 points) by better credentialled horses in front of him.

Trainer: Daniel Morton
Jockey: Chris Parnham
Barrier: 18
Market

"She's back!" is what the collective of Sminky owners announced in the mounting yard after she finished third in the Black Heart Bart Stakes at Belmont Park behind Mood Swings and Phanta. At that stage it seemed like blind optimism but three weeks later in the Eurythmic Stakes when flashing home through heavy traffic to split Comfort Me and Magnificent Andy over 1400m at SWP they were proven right. Went into the Asian Beau Stakes a dominant favourite after the withdrawal of Zipaway and didn't let her followers down with a dominant three-quarter length win. The Asian Beau has produced four of the last five winners of the Railway so she's got the right form but the wrong barrier. Bitter blow.

14. Triple Missile (53kg)
Trainer: Donna Riordan
Jockey: Joseph Azzopardi
Barrier: 4
Market

Won four of his first five races when trained by Todd Harvey and then Lindsey Smith and has bounced between the East and West Coast ever since. Last year he was prepped up for a Winterbottom Stakes tilt and was skittled at the 800m when nearly coming down in a race that owner Neil Irvine would rather forget. His five starts for Grant & Alana Williams last preparation were below his best, highlighted by the fact he went around an $8 chance in the Winterbottom and then a $61 chance in the Quokka only months later. At his first start for new trainer Donna Riordan he finished 1.8L behind Super Smink in the Asian Beau and it's hard to see a horse who has never won past 1400m turning the tables on her, let alone the rest of this quality field.

15. Trix Of The Trade (53kg)
Trainer: Colin Webster
Trainer: Troy Turner
Barrier: 8
Market

Will go down in history as one of, if not the, most popular Railway Stakes victories when Troy Turner teamed up with his lifetime boss and mentor Colin Webster to win the $1,500,000 feature in 2022. 735 days will have passed this weekend and Trix Of The Trade hasn't won a race since, however, in the eleven runs that he has had in that period of time he has achieved one very important thing: to lower his rating back to m103 and get into the Railway on the minimum again. In 2023 he carried 54kg and if you watch that replay it's easy to make the case that if the gap opens for him, he's bursting through to at least figure in the minor money. Do yourself a favour, compare his runs in the 2023 Lee Steere and 2024 Lee Steere. He could be going better in 2024 and that makes him the best of the roughies by panels. $41 available Sunday night. $26 Monday morning. $19 Tuesday night. (Eyes emoji).

Trainer: Neville Parnham
Jockey: Steven Parnham
Barrier: 12
Market

Profiles like a Railway Stakes horse. Winner of the 2023 WA Guineas beating subsequent WATC Derby winner A Lot Of Good Men and key rival Super Smink and then a fortnight later was a stride way from winning the Group One Northerly when a mere head away from Dom To Shoot and Zaaki. Sent East when finishing third behind Snow Patrol and Southport Tycoon in an Autumn Stakes (1400m) and third behind Antrim Coast and Quintessa in a Sir Alister Clark (2040m). Miss a run in the Asian Beau and instead resumed at WFA in the Lee Steere when a luckless fourth behind Casino Seventeen, Buster and Magnificent Andy. Meets that trio better at the weights in the Railway and Steve Parnham picks him. So will many punters.

Profiling the Railway Stakes: four of the last five winners have come through the Asian Beau Stakes as their lead up: Bustler (Lee Steere), Trix of the Trade (Asian Beau), Western Empire (Asian Beau), Inspirational Girl (Asian Beau), Regal Power (Asian Beau); four of the last five winners have been four-year-olds: Bustler (4), Trix Of The Trade (4), Western Empire (4), Inspirational Girl (5), Regal Power (4); and all of them have been locals on the 53kg minimum. That makes it hard to look past Zipaway and Super Smink as the 'profile horses' and after the barrier draw it's Zipaway eachway for me.