Racing: Sharrock less than confident about Railway victory

Kawi has some tough rivals in the A$1 million race. Photo / Trish Dunell

A victory celebration would come as a surprise party to Allan Sharrock this weekend.

The New Plymouth trainer has Kawi in Saturday's group one Railway Stakes at Ascot in Perth but the conditions of the feature mile have blunted his confidence.

"If he won then he would exceed my expectations," Sharrock said. "It's a handicap and he's got to carry 58.5kg and he'll be giving the one that won the other day four kilos and not two."

He was referring to Perfect Reflection, who was successful in the group two Lee Steere Stakes, in which Kawi finished a respectable fourth.

"He blew out noticeably and it was 37 degrees," Sharrock said "He got over there late and he had very little fast work in the week before the race, but I'm happy with him."

Kawi, who is in the care of his regular strapper Emma Davies in Perth, will again be ridden by Michael Walker. "This is the race of the three that I always thought would be the biggest battle," Sharrock said.

"I honestly can't see him winning at the weights, but I would like to see him hitting the line strongly and I expect him to be doing that. He'll be right for the third one then."

Also making Kawi's task that much tougher is the influx of a number of high-profile inter-state challengers for the A$1 million purse.

His opposition will include the Chris Waller pair of Good Project and Mackintosh while Darren Weir will be represented by Chatham Stakes winner Rageese, part-owned by Windsor Park Stud.

Group one performer He Or She, trained by David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, is also in the mix.

Kawi's three-start Western Australian campaign will end with the group one Kingston Town Classic on December 3.

- NZ Racing Desk