Perth’s premier training partnership Grant and Alana Williams will roll out a strong hand in Saturday’s Railway Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Ascot as they look to extend their remarkable record in Western Australia’s flagship mile contest.
Grant Williams first won the race with Elite Belle (Canny Lad) in 2014, while the husband-and-wife team dominated between 2018 and 2021, producing four consecutive winners in Galaxy Star (Redoute’s Choice), Regal Power (Pierro), Inspirational Girl (Reliable Man) and Western Empire (Iffraaj).
Western Empire returns for this year’s edition and shapes as a major player after attacking the line late to finish fifth in the Lee Steere Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) last start. The eight-year-old has drawn the inside gate, with Billy Egan heading west for the ride.
“I reckon we've probably got him going as good as we've ever had him going, to be honest, and I thought his first up run was great,” Grant Williams told ANZ News.
“It was a pretty hard track bias that day, so we definitely weren't going to go forward because we drew wide, so we had to ride him just one way and cop our medicine. But his sectionals and his run home time was fantastic. It was a perfect lead up, we are very happy with where he's at.”
Williams believes Western Empire is well treated under the handicap conditions.
Western Empire (NZ)
8yo: (21Oct17 b g)
Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams
Owner: Mrs A D Williams, A Latassa & Ms S J Leury
Sire: Iffraaj
Dam: Western Jewel
Dam's Sire: Jeune
Breeder: Peters Investments Pty Ltd
“I think he's got in pretty good this year with the 58kg and the weight scales. There's only one horse on 53. Super Smink is on 56 - that's what she'd carry in a weight-for-age race against him. So I think he's got into it really good, and he wouldn't have carried 58 since he was a maiden, I wouldn't have thought.
“From barrier one we just have to ride for luck. Billy's a gun, so that's the only instructions I’ll be giving him.”
Stablemate Watch Me Rock (Awesome Rock) heads the market at $3.60 and brings an imposing record of ten wins from 18 starts, including a last-start victory in the Asian Beau Stakes (Gr 3, 1400m) on November 1.
The gelding, by Gold Front Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing stallion Awesome Rock (Fastnet Rock), will jump from barrier four under leading rider William Pike.
Watch Me Rock (AUS)
5yo: (14Sep20 b g)
Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams
Owner: Ms M Ojapold, Ridgeport Et Al
Sire: Awesome Rock
Dam: What Choux Want
Dam's Sire: Jimmy Choux
Breeder: G N White
“I couldn't be happier with him,” Williams said. “I think he's peaking at the right time. The stables crew have done a great job getting him here. He's nice and healthy. He's got a great jockey, he's got a great barrier, and he's got winning form, so we're pretty happy with where he's at.
“He's a winner, his record says that, and I've got no negatives with him. I reckon he's on the way up. He'll win some nice races in his career and hopefully Saturday is the first.”
Four-year-old mare Storyville (Overshare) completes the primary trio, arriving off a determined victory in the R.J. Peters Stakes (Gr 3, 1500m) on November 15. She will start from barrier 14 (ten after emergencies), with Fred Kersley returning home to Western Australia to chase his first Group 1 win.
“It would have been great if she probably drew in a little bit closer, but in saying that out of the three runners, it's probably the one where I was happy with,” Williams said.
“She's probably going to jump from barrier 10. She's going to get the room that she's needed. I reckon she's probably as good as we've ever had her. She drew barrier one last start, and it was against her to win from there because she had to quicken really fast off a slow tempo, and she still won. So she's pulled up good from that run. She looks fantastic. She'll need a little bit of luck, but she's definitely good enough.”
Storyville carries added sentimental value as a homebred raced by the Williams family.
“Alana bred her, I can't take the credit for that. That's her baby. She's actually doing okay at the breeding caper, so it would be a huge thing for her to at least be placed tomorrow. We've got her half-sister by Toronado going through the Easter sale, so that would be a huge tick.”
Storyville (AUS)
4yo: (26Oct21 bb f)
Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams
Owner: Mrs A D Williams, R Buswell Et Al
Sire: Overshare
Dam: New Orleans
Dam's Sire: Time Thief
Breeder: G & A Williams Racing Pty Ltd
Emergencies Hemlockstone (Delghar) and Yonga Lass (Universal Ruler) round out the stable’s Railway acceptors.
Of Hemlockstone, Williams said: “He's probably looking for further at the moment, he'll head to a Perth Cup, or he'll head to the Northerly Stakes and the Ted Van Heemst going through.”
On Yonga Lass, he added: “We were always aimed up at this race. She ran second in the Kalgoorlie race and just didn't get enough points to get through. She's obviously the second emergency, but that's okay – she's probably just under these guys. If she had Willie Pike riding, he seems to be able to get the best out of her, she would have been a good chance, but she doesn't look like getting a run. I think she'll be a good chance in the [Carbine Club of W.A. Stakes].”
Asked to split his runners, Williams said: “I actually think it's hard to split Watch Me Rock and Western Empire, but geez, it's gonna take a good horse to beat Western Empire.”
The Williams stable currently leads both the Western Australian general and metropolitan trainers’ premierships, and with strong interstate support for the carnival, Williams believes the local industry is trending upwards.
“We've obviously got a few issues that we're trying to work through at the moment, but the racing itself is really good,” he said.
“It's as strong and as even as we've had it for a few years. The quality of three-year-olds coming through, which you can see in the Guineas, there's some superstars down the track there. We're in a pretty good spot. We just need to fix a few things on the outside of that.”
Swan Draught - Railway Stakes (GR 1)
Show
Swan Draught - Railway Stakes (GR 1)
$1,500,000, Ascot 4:58pm (WA), 3yo+ Handicap, 1600m.
-
Western Empire (NZ) 2
b g 8 Iffraaj (GB) - Western Jewel (AUS) (Jeune (Gb))
B: Peters Investments Pty Ltd, Auckland, NZ T: G & A Williams J: W Egan
AUD150,000, William Inglis & Son Pty. Ltd. Inglis Digital October Sale 2023,
V: John Leek P: Yevrah Investments -
Magnificent Andy (AUS) 11
ch g 7 Magnus (AUS) - Yaloginda (AUS) (Trade Fair (GB))
B: Mr DJ Reed WA T: S J Miller J: B Parnham
-
Iowna Merc (AUS) 10
b/br g 6 Winning Rupert (AUS) - Mercedes (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
B: Mr S Darby NSW T: Bjorn Baker J: S Mc Gruddy
-
Super Smink (AUS) 16
b m 5 Super One (AUS) - Sminky Shorts (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
B: Mr B Duncan WA T: D L Morton J: Chris Parnham
AUD45,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2022,
V: Forest View P: Morton Racing -
In Good Order (AUS) 3
b/br g 5 American Pharoah (USA) - Angharad (AUS) (Exceed and Excel (AUS))
B: Fairway Thoroughbreds NSW T: D L Morton J: S O'Donnell
AUD140,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2022,
V: Amelia Park P: Morton Racing
AUD105,000, Magic Millions National Weanling Sale 2021,
V: Segenhoe Stud P: Amelia Park Racing & Breeding -
Osipenko (NZ) 18
b g 6 Pierro (AUS) - Raskova (USA) (Henrythenavigator (USA))
B: K J Hickman ONZM, Canterbury, NZ T: C J Waller J: Tim Clark
AUD25,000, William Inglis & Son Pty. Ltd. Inglis Digital September Sale 2 2024,
V: Owner P: N Lillie
AUD20,000, William Inglis & Son Pty. Ltd. Inglis Digital December Sale 2024,
V: Owner P: S Triplett
NZD160,000, New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale 2021,
V: Valachi Downs P: Kaha / Chris Waller Racing -
Comfort Me (AUS) 7
br g 9 Playing God (AUS) - Southern Comfort (AUS) (Comfy (USA))
B: Dr FJ Edwards WA T: Rhys Radford J: Holly Watson
-
Diamond Scene (AUS) 4
b g 6 So You Think (NZ) - Jewelled (Nz) (Zabeel (NZ))
B: Peters Investments Pty Ltd WA T: Michael Grantham J: C Johnston-Porter
-
Bustler (AUS) 15
br g 6 Playing God (AUS) - Cosmah Domination (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
B: Mungrup Stud WA T: N D Parnham J: S Parnham
AUD130,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2021,
V: Ruby Racing & Breeding P: Ridgeport Holdings
AUD32,500, Magic Millions Mungrup Stud Dispersal Online Sale 2020,
V: Mungrup Stud Complete Dispersal Online sale (Unreserved) P: Ruby Racing & Breeding -
Let's Galahvant (AUS) 17
br g 7 Galah (AUS) - Secret Crush (AUS) (So Secret (AUS))
B: Rangeview Stud WA T: D & B Pearce J: Natasha Faithfull
AUD10,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2020,
V: Rangeview Stud P: Pearce Racing -
Sentimental Hero (AUS) 12
b g 8 Al Maher (AUS) - Sentimental Star (AUS) (More Than Ready (USA))
B: Peters Investments Pty Ltd WA T: P J Fernie J: C Newitt
AUD50,000, William Inglis & Son Pty. Ltd. Inglis Digital July Sale 2 2024,
V: Peters Investments Pty Ltd P: Andrew Inglis -
Watch Me Rock (AUS) 5
b g 5 Awesome Rock (AUS) - What Choux Want (NZ) (Jimmy Choux (NZ))
B: Mr GN White WA T: G & A Williams J: W Pike
AUD0, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2022,
V: Ridgeport Holdings P: null -
Admiration Express (AUS) 9
gr m 6 My Admiration (AUS) - Comme Ci (AUS) (Verglas (IRE))
B: Namerik Thoroughbreds WA T: J F Miller J: Lucy Fiore
AUD60,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2021,
V: Namerik Tbreds P: Jason Miller Racing -
Depth of Character (AUS) 21
b g 4 Deep Field (AUS) - Caricature (NZ) (Power (GB))
B: China Horse Club Racing Pty Ltd NSW T: Annabel & Rob Archibald J: Reece Jones
AUD180,000, Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale 2023,
V: The Chase P: Annabel Neasham Racing -
Ginger Baker (AUS) 19
b/br g 8 Gingerbread Man (AUS) - Spring Violet (AUS) (Encosta de Lago (AUS))
B: Kingarth Pty Ltd WA T: D & B Pearce J: Joey Azzopardi
-
Storyville (AUS) 14
b/br m 4 Overshare (AUS) - New Orleans (AUS) (Time Thief (AUS))
B: G & A Williams Racing Pty Ltd WA T: G & A Williams J: Fred W Kersley
-
Hemlock Stone (NZ) 6
b g 6 Dalghar (FR) - Spiritual (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
B: Botsky Pty Ltd, Waikato, NZ T: G & A Williams J:
AUD11,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2021,
V: Willow Dale Farm P: Belhus Racing Stables -
Yonga Lass (AUS) 13
b m 6 Universal Ruler (AUS) - Give the Signal (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
B: Mr I O'Connor WA T: G & A Williams J:
-
Aztec Ruler (AUS) 20
b g 6 Universal Ruler (AUS) - I Love Rubies (AUS) (Rubiton (AUS))
B: Quanah Park Thoroughbreds WA T: S V Vahala J:
AUD40,000, Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale 2021,
V: Quanah Park P: Vahala T/breds -
Cosmic Crusader (NZ) 8
b g 5 Maurice (JPN) - Cosmic Storm (AUS) (Street Sense (USA))
B: Peters Investments Pty Ltd, Waikato, NZ T: Michael Grantham J:














