West Australian Gilded Venom repelled the eastern states raiders to power to a narrow but decisive victory in the Group One $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot.Perfectly ridden by Pat Carbery who won the race on Machine Gun Tom in 1998, Gilded Venom ($8) enjoyed the run of the race in seventh place to the turn and dashed to the lead halfway down the straight.Sniper's Bullet ($9), who was handy early but lost ground approaching the home turn, rallied strongly in the run home and failed by just a s
West Australian Gilded Venom repelled the eastern states raiders to power to a narrow but decisive victory in the Group One $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot.
Perfectly ridden by Pat Carbery who won the race on Machine Gun Tom in 1998, Gilded Venom ($8) enjoyed the run of the race in seventh place to the turn and dashed to the lead halfway down the straight.
Sniper's Bullet ($9), who was handy early but lost ground approaching the home turn, rallied strongly in the run home and failed by just a short head to reel in the winner.
The Peter Moody-trained Annenkov ($21) was thereabouts throughout and battled on strongly for third a half-length away in Saturday's 1600m feature.
David Hayes' warhorse Niconero ($12) rattled home from 12th on the turn for fourth.
The Steve Wallace-trained Gilded Venom, a five-year-old gelding by US stallion Golden Snake, took his record to seven wins and seven placings from just 18 starts for prizemoney in excess of $860,000.
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Blake Shinn set the pace on the Gai Waterhouse-trained Bank Robber ($6) who kicked clear at the top of the straight but had no answer when the challengers swooped and finished fifth.
Topweight Marasco ($5.50) was never a threat and finished 11th, four lengths from the winner, while the $5 favourite Rightfully Yours was in the firing line for a long way but couldn't sprint with the placegetters and wound up seventh.