Inspirational Girl leads Peters’ charge for third successive Railway Stakes
Powerhouse owner-breeder also represented by Truly Great in his home–state Group 1
Bob Peters, the leading owner and breeder in Perth, appears to hold a strong hand in his bid to win a third consecutive Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Ascot today.
Exciting five-year-old mare Inspirational Girl (Reliable Man) will lead Peters’ charge for Grant and Alana Williams, aiming to follow in the footsteps of former stable companions Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice) and Regal Power (Pierro), the 2018 and 2019 winners respectively.
Inspirational Girl has a near-perfect race record with eight wins, one second and one third from ten starts, but she will run against elite-level company for the first time today having landed the Asian Beau Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) on her last appearance.
She beat the reopposing Too Close The Sun (Carlton House) by a head that day, but Peters is under no illusion how difficult it will be for her to continue rising through the ranks.
“She hasn’t raced in this sort of company up until now. She hadn’t even raced in stakes company until her last start,” Peters told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“It is a massive step up to a Group 1, so it is very hard to judge what’s going to happen when she meets stronger company.
“We hope she can continue to improve. This race is a very hard race to win – it’s the hardest race to win in the yearly program for this state. It’s always been that way, so you never go into the Railway Stakes with a lot of confidence.
“But she’s been doing everything we’ve asked of her and now we’re just going to ask for a lot more from her.”
Peters has had yet another successful spring, headlined by Arcadia Queen (Pierro) taking out the Caulfield Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Mackinnon Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m), but alluded to victory in his home state being extra special, and also extra hard.
“It’s always a race that anyone in this state would want to win. We’ve been fortunate enough to win it four times now, spread over quite a long time,” he continued.
“The first time we won it was 2001, and then we won it in 2014, 2018 and 2019. In that time we have won most of the other big races more times than that, but this has always been the hardest one to win.”
Also running in the famous cerise and white colours today is homebred Truly Great (Dundeel), who has a similar profile to Inspirational Girl having climbed through the ranks in lesser company.
The five-year-old gelding made his first start in stakes company a winning one when landing the RJ Peters Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m), named in honour of his owner, last weekend.
“He ran well last start and he’s very similar to Inspirational Girl. He hasn’t had a lot of runs, he stepped up to Group 3 company for the first time last start and won that, so he’s very much in the same mould as her going forward.
“We hope that he can take the next step, but it is a very, very big step upwards.”
Truly Great is backing-up a week later after running on Soft7 at Ascot, but Peter believes his effort in testing conditions will not impact his chances of success today.
“I’m not so worried about that, he’s a pretty strong horse. I’m really just concerned about the massive jump in class he’s facing.”
The aforementioned Too Close The Sun rates as the main market rival to Peters’ promising pair and he is out of Old Money (Old Spice), who was bred and owned by Peters.
Old Money won the Western Australia Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and the Western Australia Oaks (Gr 2, 2400m) in 2000, but had a mixed record in her post-race career, producing just five runners from eight foals between 2004 and her death in 2016.
However, she seems to have struck gold with her last two foals, producing 2018 Mackinnon Stakes winner Trap For Fools (Poet’s Voice) two years before Too Close The Sun, who is also the only stakes winner by Carlton House (Street Cry).
Owned by The Queen, Carlton House finished his career in Australia with two Group 1 placings having been a dual Group winner in Britain. He was sent off as favourite for the 2011 Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m4f), but finished a length behind Pour Moi (Montjeu) in third.
Peters views Too Close The Son as one of the big dangers to his runners.
“There are three horses in the race that are going to be the hardest to beat. You’ve got Too Close The Sun, who happens to be out of one of our very good mares, which makes it hard.
“Kay Cee is a very good mare that won the Group 1 Kingston Town last year.
“Godolphin’s Kementari has got a very good barrier (1) and he’s a Group 1 horse, so he could get a very easy run in the race.
“I don’t know how to rank them, but they’re the three I would be most worried about. It wouldn’t surprise me if any horse in the race won it.”
Peters was pleased to report that his star mare Arcadia Queen made it home safely on Wednesday evening after Covid-19 restrictions made transportation from Victoria to Western Australia problematic.
“She travelled quite well. We’ve started to go over and check her out now and she seems like she’s come home a lot better than what she did from her campaign last year, when she was knocked down and hurt her back, but this time she seems quite free in her action which is very pleasing,” Peters said.
Inspirational Girl’s jockey Willie Pike decided to miss riding Arcadia Queen in the Mackinnon Stakes in preference of returning to Western Australia for today’s Group 1.
Pike’s mandatory 14-day isolation period came to an end last night after spending the time on his 1300-acre farm in Beaufort River.
He will be sitting on Inspirational Girl for the first time since July today, but Peters believes he will be raring to go.
“He’s had two weeks away and has been isolating down on his farming property, so I’m sure he’ll be keen to get back in amongst things again,” Peters said.