WA’s Luckygray tears up track for his second Railway Stakes

LUCKYGRAY has won his second Railway Stakes at Ascot in Perth in much less controversial circumstances than his first.

He’s Remarkable was first past the post in 2011 but lost the race to Luckygray after a controversial protest.

There was no doubt yester- day when Luckygray came with a late run to win under 58kg to claim his third Group 1 win the $1 million mile.

Luckygray was trained to his first Railway win by Gino Poletti, and after spending time with Robert Smerdon in Melbourne, returned to the west and was placed in the care of Trevor Andrews. The constant in his career has been jockey Shaun O’Donnell, who has steered him to all his three Group 1.

‘‘This feeling is unbelievable,’’ O’Donnell said.

‘‘He is a freak this horse. They didn’t see the best of him over there (east).’’

Luckygray beat Platinum Rocker, who edged out Fire Up Fifi in the race for the minor placing after that pair had cleared out in the straight.

Poletti was one of the first people to congratulate Andrews, who won Perth’s richest race with Modem in 2004.

‘‘ It’s six weeks since he came back from Melbourne and his second run for me,’’ Andrews said.

‘‘I was on a hiding to nothing but he is a genuine horse who loves the Ascot mile.’’

While there was no controversy about the result, there was drama pre- race with the scratching of the Grant Williams-trained Ranger, who finished in front of Luckygray two weeks ago.

Ranger was withdrawn when it was discovered he had been given an oral substance 45 minutes before the race. Any race day treatment is against the rules.