Railway Handicap
Railway Handicap
Group One Betting Guide
| Date: | Saturday, January 24, 2026 |
| Location: | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Prize Money: | $700,000 |
| Distance: | 1200m |
THE Group 1 Railway Handicap is a featured sprint race held at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day with the quality of past winners top class.
With a purse of $450,000, it’s not the stake money that attracts trainers from New Zealand and Australia to compete for the Railway Stakes, rather it’s the history behind the race which makes it a must-win for the sprinting types.
Past winners include Imperatriz, Bounding, Imananabaa, Avantage, Egyptian Raine and Mr Tiz which won three consecutive Railway Stakes.
It has also been won by two Australian-trained runners with Atomic Force in 2012 (ridden by Nash Rawiller) and 2010 winner A Gold Trail which won with Michael Rodd in the saddle.
The Railway Handicap is always the most exciting race held in New Zealand each year.
2026 Railway Handicap betting odds
Betting odds for the 2026 Railway Handicap are not available.
Best Railway Handicap bookmakers
All of our bookmakers listed below offer all-in and fixed odds betting on the major races out of New Zealand.
The Railway Handicap is one of New Zealand’s prized races and the Australian bookies know how important framing a market is for both New Zealand punters and the locals.
The following bookmakers currently have markets available for the Railway Stakes.
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Latest Railway Handicap News
2026 Railway Handicap Field
HorseBetting will update this page when the 2026 Railway Handicap final field is released.
Previous Railway Handicap Fields
No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 
Waitak Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Kevin Stott 12 58.0kg 2 Mercurial Stephen Marsh Rory Hutchings 4 58.0kg 3 Crocetti Danny Walker & Arron Tata Warren Kennedy 10 56.5kg 4 Bonny Lass Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Craig Grylls 6 56.0kg 5 Sacred Satono Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Michael McNab 8 56.0kg 6 Master Fay Chad Ormsby Tayla Mitchell (a) 5 56.0kg 7 Luberon Lance Noble Blake Shinn 9 55.0kg 8 Platinum Attack Lisa Latta Matt Cartwright 7 55.0kg 9 Babylon Berlin Ben & Ryan Foote Vinnie Colgan 2 54.0kg 10 Poetic ChampionTony PikeN/A1053.0kg11 Captured By Love Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Craig Williams 11 52.5kg 12 Alabama Lass Ken & Bev Kelso Sam Spratt 7 52.0kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Dragon Leap Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott Opie Bosson 3 57kg 2 Johny Johny Tim & Margaret Carter Lynsey Satherley 5 56kg 3 Sacred Satono Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley Michael McNab 1 56kg 4 Mercurial Stephen Marsh Sam Spratt 6 55kg 5 Waitak Lance O’Sullivan & Harry Brook Warren Kennedy 10 55kg 6 Babylon Berlin Ben & Ryan Foote Jason Collett 2 54kg 7 Bonny Lass Graham Richardson & Rogan Norvall Craig Grylls 8 54kg 8 Maria Farina Darryn & Briar Weatherley Sam Weatherley 7 54kg 9 Maven Belle Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson Matthew Cameron 9 53.5kg 10 Imwonderfultonight Sam Mynott Joe Doyle 4 53kg No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Levante Ken & Bev Kelso Ryan Elliot 4 57kg 2 Justacanta Shaun & Emma Clotworthy Dean Yendall 3 57kg 3 Imperatriz Mark Walker Opie Bosson 10 56kg 4 Johny Johny Tim & Margaret Carter Lynsey Satherley 11 55.5kg 5 Dragon Leap Lance O’Sullvian & Andrew Scott Michael McNab 1 55kg 6 Mr Jay Eight Shaun & Emma Clotworthy Joe Doyle 5 55kg 7 Babylon Berlin Ben Foote Kozzi Asano 2 54kg 8 Bonny LassGraham Richardson & Rogan NorvallCraig Grylls754kg9 Letzbeglam Lance Noble Warren Kennedy 4 54kg 10 Malt Time Shaun & Emma Clotworthy Masa Hashizume 9 53.5kg 11 One More Time Stephen Ralph Jasmine Fawcett 6 53kg
2025 Railway Stakes result
1st – Crocetti (+550)
2nd – Alabama Lass (-250)
3rd – Luberon (+225)
Recent Railway Handicap winners
- 2024 champion male three-year-old Crocetti returned to his brilliant best at Ellerslie, defeating a star-studded sprint field in the Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m). Crocetti made a big impression with a blistering gallop between races at Ellerslie on January 12, giving his connections plenty of confidence leading into Saturday’s $700,000 Railway. But that confidence was washed away by heavy rain in the 90 minutes leading into the race, with Crocetti jumping from the inside gate on deteriorating ground. Jockey Warren Kennedy was able to get away from the fence within the first 200m of the race, taking up a position in fourth behind Babylon Berlin, Alabama Lass and Luberon. That trio appeared to have the finish to themselves halfway down the home straight, with Alabama Lass edging ahead of a brave Babylon Berlin while Luberon chased hard down the outside. But then Kennedy switched Crocetti across heels and into a gap between Alabama Lass and Luberon, and the horse took care of the rest. Crocetti pinned his ears back and roared home, getting the better of Alabama Lass in the final strides to snatch victory by a short head.
- Former champion jockey Lance O’Sullivan captured five Group 1 Railway (1200m) successes in the saddle and he finally got his hands on the silverware as a trainer, courtesy of Waitak’s explosive victory. As expected, Johny Johny set a breakneck speed upfront, while at the opposite end of the field, in-form hoop Warren Kennedy switched Waitak off at the back of the pack. The son of Proisir was still well off the pace at the top of the straight, but he responded to the urgings of Kennedy in the final 200m, bursting through a gap that opened up when Mercurial ran out, checking Bonny Lass, and Waitak continued his momentum to score a 1.25 length victory over Bonny Lass, with Mercurial a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
- New Zealand’s syndication powerhouse Te Akau Racing landed their third consecutive victory in the iconic Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on New Year’s Day, but this one was a little different. While the tangerine army had won the sprint feature at Ellerslie in each of the last two seasons with Avantage and Entriviere, the 2023 edition of the race was relocated to Te Rapa while the Auckland track is closed for a major redevelopment – marking the first time in the Railway’s 132-year history that it was staged anywhere other than Ellerslie. Te Akau Racing has a special connection to Te Rapa, with both David Ellis and Karyn Fenton-Ellis having served as chair of Waikato Racing Club. But an extra-special twist to Sunday’s result comes through John Elstob, who owns a 25 percent share in Imperatriz and is the Waikato Racing Club’s current chairman. Opie Bosson took up a perfect position in sixth, one off the rail, patiently biding his time as Babylon Berlin slid forward from second and opened up what looked like a winning break at the top of the home straight. Bosson brought Imperatriz out into the clear and pushed the button, and the four-year-old went into overdrive. Babylon Berlin was showing no sign of stopping out in front, but Imperatriz wore her down through the final 100 metres and snatched victory right on the line by a head. Top-class sprinter Levante was doing her best work late, running on into third and crossing the line two lengths behind the first pair. Imperatriz stopped the clock at a slick 1:08.90 – the second-fastest Railway in the last decade.
- Opie Bosson and Jamie Richards combined with Avantage 12 months earlier and managed to bring up another win in the famous Te Akau tangerine when Entriviere saluted in the 2022 edition of the Railway. Having settled towards the rear of the field, Bosson had the mare moving approaching the turn and under hands and heels to the 200m mark loomed up to Babylon Berlin and managed to sprint clear of main rival Levante to claim Group 1 glory by 1.5 lengths.
- The Jamie Richards-trained Avantage managed to pull out just enough to claim the 2021 Railway Handicap. The $2.10 pre-race favourite was given the run of the race and when ambling up alongside 2020 winner Julius, she looked like she was going to put a fair gap on her rivals. However, with Julius kicking back on the rail and Levante flying down the centre of the track, the favourite was forced to earn her win.
- Having settled outside the leader in the race, the John Bell-trained Julius packed plenty of punches late to claim the Railway Handicap. Despite being left in front a long way from home, Jason Waddell made sure the veteran eight-year-old was primed to tough it out, with Julius responding under heavy riding and ultimately proving too good late on.
- In what is the biggest upset in Railway Handicap history, Santa Monica delivered an improbable win at $77 odds. the five-year-old was able to nab Princess Kereru on the line to win by a neck, with a further head back to the luckless race favourite Melody Belle, who had to battle three-wide from barrier 15.
- It was expected to be a two-horse war in the 2018 Railway Handicap, but the more favoured Volpe Veloce was the horse that got the chocolates. Settling towards the back of the field Jake Bayliss settled the horse beautifully in the run and let down nicely to find the front at the 100m mark before putting a gap on the field.
- Start Wondering showed that Australian sprinting form is superior. The gelding from Wanganui had a great record in New Zealand before travelling to Sydney where it was successful. After a bleeding attack it returned to New Zealand and was too classy for them in the Railway Handicap. It found the lead easily coming around the turn and kicked away for an impressive 1.25-length victory. The win gave jockey Johnathan Parkes the City of Auckland Cup/Railway double.
- Ryan Mark edged out the Australian-performed Allez Eagle by a neck in 2016, much to the punters delight. The five-year-old son of Thorn Park had been in good form throughout the Hastings spring carnival and it ran as the $3.80 favourite. It also continued the good form from jockey Opie Bosson who had won the 2015 Caulfield Cup aboard Mongolian Khan earlier in the season.
- In Style put a disappointing Australian campaign behind it when winning by a short-head in 2015. The Danica Guy-trained mare had been running at short odds throughout its New Zealand campaign, but bookmakers let it drift to $6.60 which many punters jumped on late. It held out the fast-finishing Whosyourmaster ($4.40 to place) and Durham Town ($6.50 to place) to land a big trifecta payout for punters with 2016 champion Ryan Mark finishing two lengths back in seventh.
- Bounding was another well-favoured winner which scored yet another close victory. The three-year-old daughter of Lonhro was one of the quickest sprinters in New Zealand before embarking on a successful career in Australia. It won as the $4.10 favourite over the likes of Waterford, Little Wonder and 2015 placegetter Durham Town. It ran a time of 1:10.25 which was considered a quick time on a track which was rain-affected.
- Fleur de Lune has always promised to deliver on the big stage and its moment came in 2013 when winning the Railway Handicap. The five-year-old Stravinsky mare wasn’t bred for speed and it performed well over the longer distances later in its career, but it ran a slick 1:09.21 for the 1200m on a good track. Durham Town recorded yet another placing with Jetset Lad, which would later move to Australia, running well for second at place odds of $5.40. Fleur de Lune paid $9.90 for the win and $3.10 to place.
- Atomic Force gave the Australians their second win in three years when scoring by a half-length. The Darren Smith-trained gelding didn’t have superb form in Australia, but it was good enough to run as the $2 favourite and get the job done well. Ridden by Nash Rawiller, the son of Danehill Dancer held off some of the best local sprinting types in New Zealand and it relished the rain-affected track. The $2 on offer from bookmakers was one of the shortest-priced winners in Railway Handicap history.
Railway Handicap past winners list
| Railway Handicap Past Winners | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
| 2025 | Crocetti | Warren Kennedy | Danny Walker & Arron Tata |
| 2024 | Waitak | Warren Kennedy | Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott |
| 2023 | Imperatriz | Opie Bosson | Mark Walker |
| 2022 | Entriviere | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2021 | Avantage | Opie Bosson | Jamie Richards |
| 2020 | Julius | Jason Waddell | John Bell |
| 2019 | Santa Monica | Trudy Thornton | John & Stephen Ralph |
| 2018 | Volpe Veloce | Jake Bayliss | Graham Richardson |
| 2017 | Start Wondering | Jonathan Parkes | JJ & Evan Rayner |
| 2016 | Ryan Mark | Opie Bosson | John Morell |
| 2015 | In Style | Leith Innes | Danica Guy |
| 2014 | Bounding | Mark Du Plessis | Ken & Bev Kelso |
| 2013 | Fleur De Lune | Jason Jago | Lee Somervell |
| 2012 | Atomic Force | Nash Rawiller | Darren Smith |
| 2011 | Miss Raggedy Ann | Natasha Collett | Andrew Scott |
| 2010 | Gold Trail | Michael Rodd | Gary Portelli |
| 2009 | Jacowils | Malcolm Hills | Kristine Stead |
| 2008 | Imananabaa | Andrew Calder | Don Sellwood |
| 2007 | Donna Rosita | Lisa Cropp | Piri Ranui |
| 2006 | Baldessarini | Lisa Cropp | Anne Herbert |
| 2005 | Recurring | Hayden Tinsley | Gerald Ryan |
| 2004 | Vinaka | Opie Bosson | Paul O’Sullivan |
| 2003 | Our Egyptian Raine | Lance O’Sullivan | Kenny Rae |
| 2002 | Sound The Alarm | Craig Grylls | Richard Otto |
| 2001 | Fritz | Noel Harris | Neil Coulbeck |
| 2000 | Cannsea | Michael Coleman | Mike Moroney & Andrew Scott |
Railway Handicap Past Winners Pre 2000
| Railway Handicap Past Winners Pre 2000 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Horse | ||
| 1999 | Bawalaksana | ||
| 1998 | Coogee Walk | ||
| 1997 | Kailey | ||
| 1996 | Loader | ||
| 1995 | Coberger | ||
| 1994 | Ensign Ewart | ||
| 1993 | Hypervain | ||
| 1992 | Vain Sovereign | ||
| 1991 | Mr Tiz | ||
| 1990 | Mr Tiz | ||
| 1989 | Mr Tiz / Westminster | ||
| 1988 | Alynda | ||
| 1987 | Diamond Lover | ||
| 1986 | Silver Tip | ||
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