Railway Stakes Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2024

The Railway Stakes holds a significant place in the Perth Summer Racing Carnival, standing out as a major highlight in an array of exciting races. Traditionally hosted at the renowned Ascot Racecourse, which is one of the top tracks in the country, this race has grown into an event that grabs the attention of racing fans, bettors and top industry stakeholders. 

The appeal of the Railway Stakes isn't just its Group 1 status but also its knack for drawing top middle-distance runners from throughout Australia. This 1,600m race attracts the best middle-distance runners mainly due to the $1.5 million in prize money on offer.

It's a much-anticipated race for trainers, jockeys and fans alike. This is the time that Western Australia shines, with Spring racing wrapping up in Melbourne and Sydney. There are a few other key races to take place apart of Perth’s Racing Carnival, including; the Winterbottom Stakes, the Northerly Stakes, The Gold Rush and the Perth Cup.

The race has a long and rich history, with the inaugural running taking place back in 1887. We have seen multiple changes to the event, including distance and when the race has been run, but we will get more into that in our “History” section later on the page.

The Railway Stakes stands out as one of the premier events in Western Australia's horse racing calendar. As a highlight of the Perth Racing summer carnival, known as ‘The Pinnacles’, it draws both top local competitors and notable interstate contenders.

This page covers everything you could ever need to know about the Railway Stakes including horse racing betting details like tips and odds. As well as this, we provide general information on the field, results and form guide. Our experts update this page multiple times a year as well, so you always get the most up-to-date information.

With $1.5 million in prize money up for grabs, it's a significant race that captures attention nationwide. The champion will secure a sizable $822,000, to be shared among the owners, trainer and jockey. Prize money is dished out to those who finished 10th or higher. The prize money breakdown is as follows:

Horse racing tips are our jam here at OnlyRacing, we spend hours each day pouring over the form guide and other relevant statistics to produce the best racing tips possible. We cover tips for all the key races on the calendar on top of Ascot tips to keep you going day in and day out.

We can’t wait to get cracking on our Railway Stakes tips and now is the time everyone! The final field has been confirmed and we have gone through each runner to analyse their chances in the 2024 Railway Stakes. We’ve got some thoughts on who we think is in for a great performance.

Our Railway Stakes tips have landed here at OnlyRacing, so check out our best bet, next best and best roughie here:

Railway Stakes Best Bet - Zipaway

It’s a massive field for the 2024 Railway Stakes and at the time of writing, we have two equal favourites in Belclare and Light Infantry Man. I’m bypassing both of them though and going straight to Zipaway as my best bet, who is currently on the second line of betting with PlayUp, at odds of $8.50.

The gelding won the Group 2 WA Guineas this time last year and returns to Ascot for a crack at a Group 1. He tackles this one second up after finishing fourth in the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes at Ascot last time out. He meets a lot of the same runners here and Zipaway was held up at a critical point in that race, so I’m expecting a sharp improvement.

Railway Stakes Next Best - Light Infantry Man

Looking at the map and form, it seems like Light Infantry Man is in with a massive shout here and he is the deserving equal favourite. PlayUp is currently offering $4.40 for Light Infantry Man to claim victory on Saturday. The gelding has contested nine Group 1 races with a record of 9:0-3-2. Could this be the time he finally breaks through for a win?

We last saw Light Infantry Man winning at Flemington in early November, in dominant fashion, by 2.3L. He got a peach of a ride from James McDoland that time and he is due to take the saddle again on Saturday, after flying in from Hong Kong for this. His early speed and excellent barrier draw will give him a lot of options.

Railway Stakes Best Roughie - Casino Seventeen

Simply not willing to pass up on the value we are getting for Casino Seventeen at the moment, who is currently paying $20 to win the Railway Stakes, thanks to PlayUp. A lot of runners are coming from the Group 2 Lee Steere Stakes run two weeks ago at Ascot, and Casino Seventeen was the winner of that one, winning by 0.2L.

He gave them a fairly significant head start but was still able to reel them all in thanks to a mammoth effort from jockey William Pike. Pikey saddles up again and we’ll need another out-of-this-world ride for him, but if anyone can do it, it’s Pikey. The jockey and trainer combination has a great record in this race, so discount him at your own peril. 

We're here to guide you in picking the most suitable bookmaker to place your bets. With numerous Australian betting sites in the mix, the choice can seem daunting. Still, we're on hand with a few trusted recommendations to simplify your decision. Before delving deeper, remember to analyse the Railway Stakes' lineup to determine your preferred bets.

Key to your bookmaking choice are the odds on offer. To get the most value, it's prudent to check odds across several bookmakers (including new betting sites) for your chosen market. Opting for the one with the best odds will naturally amplify your potential winnings. 

Your familiarity and ease of use with a bookmaker also count. Many punters gravitate towards the websites and best betting apps that they are accustomed to. It makes sense to side with a platform where you feel at ease placing bets. To get a sense of how various bookmakers stack up in terms of reliability, head to our bookmaker reviews page.

On top of this, promotions and betting sites bonuses are enticing factors. Our OnlyRacing bonuses page provides a snapshot of promotions and bonuses provided by various Australian betting sites. It's worth checking if there are any exclusive deals for the Railway Stakes.

While there's no one-size-fits-all method in choosing a bookmaker for the Railway Stakes, the aforementioned points are valuable. The paramount thing is to bet with a trustworthy platform and ensure all required verifications are completed beforehand. 

Always remember to prioritise a bookmaker that aligns with your specific needs, assuring a seamless and safe betting experience for the Railway Stakes. Some of the betting sites in particular that we think you should check out include; PlayUp, Betfocus and Bet365.

We see the Railway Stakes field confirmed each year during race week. So, if you’re looking to see which runners will be taking part in the race in 2024, you’ve come at the right time. The final field has now been confirmed and we know all the important details on which runners are going to line up on Saturday.

Before race week, a good way to get an indication of the type of runners who may be targeting the Railway Stakes is to check out the odds. The odds markets are released well before the final field is and the runners with the shortest odds are the ones that are more likely targeting the Railway Stakes. 

We’ve got all the Railway Stakes field information you’ve been searching for. Check out the field table for the 2024 race here:

For the Railway Stakes in 2024, we saw a great field of 16 runners confirmed, just like in 2023. There have also been four emergencies confirmed, so if there are any pre-race scratchings we will see a full field still competing. At the time of writing, we haven’t seen any scratchings yet, but keep an eye on this as things can change.

Scratchings are an important thing to keep an eye on because they can seemingly happen out of the blue sometimes. There are several reasons why a runner might be scratched and it can happen any time between when the field is announced and just minutes before the race is due to jump.

The barrier draw is another aspect to pay attention to when looking into the final field. If the field is on the bigger side, the barrier draw will play an even more critical role in how the race unfolds. Over the years, some barriers have been more successful than others, so it’s understandable that runners and their connections want to avoid certain barriers.

The Railway Stakes form guide is a fairly important piece of the puzzle. It’s always a good idea to check out the form guide before making any decisions on which runner/s to bet on for the upcoming race because the form guide will likely present patterns in the data that can point you in the direction of the next potential winner.

Putting together the Railway Stakes form guide can be a time-consuming task, especially if you consider how long the race has been running. So, if you don’t have the time, you’ll be pleased to know that the team here at OnlyRacing have put together all the key form indicators that you need to know.

The best place to start is the ideal lead-up races. There are a few different lead-up races to consider because we usually see both interstate and local runners take part in the Railway Stakes. For the local runners, check out the Lee Steere Stakes (Group 2), which is run two weeks before the Railway Stakes at a distance of 1,400m.

Some of the other lead-up races that are worth checking out as well include; the Asian Beau Stakes (Group 3), the Eurythmic Stakes (Group 3) and the RJ Peters Stakes (Group 3). After the Railway Stakes, runners may tackle the Northerly Stakes, so it’s worth following both races to see how runners perform.

We’ve got the data to back this up as well. Since 2001, 10 Railway Stakes winners have come through the Lee Steere Stakes. For the RJ Peters Stakes, this race has produced five Railway Stakes winners since 2001.

Local runners seem to have a stranglehold on the race with only three non-WA runners winning the Railway Stakes since 2001. The three winners were Sniper's Bullet in 2009, Gathering in 2010 and Good Project in 2015.

It may pay to stick with runners who have come in light at the weights. Since 2014, we’ve only seen winners with either 53kg or 53.5kg on their backs. Along with this, you should check out all the 4YOs in the Railway Stakes as they have won 10 of the last 20 editions of the race. Mares don’t have the best record, winning just five times in the last 34 years.

It’s a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the favourite for the Railway Stakes. Since 2007, we’ve only seen six favourites win the Railway Stakes, however, three of those six have come fairly recently, with three favourites winning from 2020 to 2022.

The Railway Stakes has been around for over a century, so there are a lot of horses in contention for a spot in this section. The race is a major target for runners, so we almost always see a stack of quality Railway Stakes horses each and every year.

It took some time, but we’ve narrowed down the Railway Stakes horses to just a handful that we are going to feature here. Remember, we had over 100 horses to choose from, so we had to make some difficult calls and leave off some pretty amazing horses from the list.

Carbine - 1894

With a career record of 43:33-6-3, Carbine was a clear choice for a spot in this list. He won the 1894 Railway Stakes and several other key races, including; the Melbourne Cup, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Sydney Cup and the All Aged Stakes. We have pages on all these races as well, if you check out our Group One races list, you can see them all.

Better Loosen Up - 1989

Fast forward almost a century and we have our next horse, Better Loosen Up, who won the 1989 Railway Stakes. Better Loosen Up won almost $5 million in prize money throughout his career thanks to wins in major races like the Cox Plate, the Champions Stakes and the Australian Cup. He was honoured as the 1991 Australian Horse of the Year.

Northerly - 2000

The 2003 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, Northerly, is considered by many as the greatest middle-distance racehorse ever. Northerly was honoured with a Group 1 as the Kingston Town Classic was recently renamed to the Northerly Stakes. He finished his career with a record of 37:19-7-2 and had over $9 million in prize money.

Luckygray - 2011 & 2013

One of the few to win the Railway Stakes on multiple occasions, Luckygray won the 2011 and 2013 editions of the race. His 2011 victory wasn’t without controversy though after winning on protest after finishing second initially. The gelding finished his career with a record of 33: 14-3-1 and with almost $3 million worth of prize money in the bank.

Western Empire - 2021

Western Empire was the hot favourite going into the 2021 Railway Stakes and the gelding got the job done. To date, his victory in the Railway Stakes is his only Group 1 victory, but he does have almost $2 million in prize money, at the time of writing. He is also a Group 3 and Group 2 winner.

If you are new to the world of horse racing, it is easy to get confused by the odds. There are so many markets listed and the odds are constantly changing. What does it all mean?! Well, the odds reflect what that particular bookmaker thinks is the most likely outcome in the race.

For example, if you see a runner listed with odds of $1.50, then they are the favourite for the race and the bookmaker thinks there is a significant chance that runner will win. However, we see upsets all the time, so don’t be constantly blinded by the favourite.

Many factors go into influencing the odds for each market, which is why you’ll see the odds change constantly. A change in one of the ranking factors can trigger changes in the odds for all the runners. Different bookies likely have different ranking factors as well, which is why you may see different odds for the same runner.

This is why it is a good idea to shop around before placing your bets, especially if you are thinking about betting on a roughie, where the difference can be more significant. As we get closer to race day, more horse racing markets will open up, so you’ll need to wait if you want to bet on one of the more obscure markets.

The Railway Stakes odds are now available with PlayUp, so let’s see how the entire field stacks up:

*Odds correct as of 21/11/2024.

The Railway Stakes stands as a distinguished Group 1 race, a compelling fixture on the Australian racing calendar. Conducted by Perth Racing at Ascot Racecourse, this race is designed to challenge the best milers in the field. 

Inaugurated in 1887, the very first winner of the Railway Stakes was Nimrod. The race now forms part of Perth’s Racing Carnival, which is one of the more unique horse racing carnivals on the calendar. Interestingly, the race wasn't always the main event. In its early days, it served as a supporting race on Perth Cup Day.

Historically, the race distance has undergone changes. Initially, horses contested over a 2,000m track. Over time, the distance was trimmed to 1,500m before settling at its current 1,600m (a mile) in 1984. The race's stature has also evolved, starting as a Principal race, it achieved Group 1 status in 1979.

Success in the Railway Stakes has often hinted at a horse's prowess. For instance, Northerly and Better Loosen Up both clinched victory here and then went on to triumph in the esteemed Cox Plate the following year. 

It's also worth noting that light-weighted horses have often shined. However, Luckygray defied this trend in 2013 by carrying a significant 58kg to victory under extraordinary circumstances. No winner of the Railway Stakes has carried more than 53.5kg to victory since then.

Winning the Railway Stakes is no easy feat and some have even managed to take both this and the Kingston Town Classic, later renamed the Northerly Stakes in 2022. Notable dual victors include Better Loosen Up, Old Comrade, Modem and Sniper’s Bullet.

A few horses have etched their names deeper into the Railway Stakes' annals. Carbine, the 1894 winner, was celebrated for his dual Caulfield Cup triumphs and a Melbourne Cup win. Northerly, who won the Railway Stakes in 2000, accumulated an impressive list of Group 1 victories, including two Cox Plate’s and a Caulfield Cup. 

Then there's the memorable duo who've won the Railway Stakes twice: Tudor Mak (1966 and 1967) and Luckygray (2011 and 2013). Luckygray's initial win came after a dramatic protest against the first horse to cross the line, He’s Remarkable, marking one of the race's most controversial moments.

Another unique aspect of this race's history is that, on several occasions, it was held twice within a year, either in December or January. The more recent editions of the race have seen some record-breaking performances. 

Inspirational Girl's victory in 2020 marked the third consecutive win for jockey William Pike, trainers Grant and Alana Williams and owner Bob Peters. This winning streak was further extended by Western Empire, securing a fourth consecutive victory for the team and solidifying their place in the race's history.

OnlyRacing has all the Railway Stakes results information you’ve been on the hunt for. We go through all the details from the latest running of the Railway Stakes, including a table showing the finishing order of every runner, a full race replay and a list of all the recent winners of the race.

In 2023, we saw Bustler win the Railway Stakes, beating Alsephina, the pre-race favourite, by 1L to the finishing post. Alsephina was ridden by William Pike and had a bit of work to do, coming from around the middle of the pack, but at the end of the day, Bustler was too difficult to chase down.

Wrapping up the final minor placing was Dom To Shoot, who was sent around with roughie odds of $21 to win and $5.70 to place. The race was run in decent time as well, with the winner crossing the line in 1:34.80 and there was a total of 26.8L that split the entire field.

Here’s the full Railway Stakes results from the most recent edition:

You’ve seen the table with the finishing order of the entire field, now it’s time to watch the full race replay video:

There can only be one winner each year in the Railway Stakes (unless we see a dead head, that is). We’ve listed all the recent Railway Stakes winners here:

Before you go, we’ve got one final section for you. This is perfect for those who still have a question or two about the Railway Stakes. We’ve gone through and found the most common questions people have about the race and answered them in our Railway Stakes FAQs section.