Sovereign Nation has hoof on big-mile till

Dabernig said Sovereign Nation had contested the spring carnival’s two top 1600m races and run well.

He finished second to Santa Ana Lane in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield and seventh to Shillelagh in the Kennedy Mile at Flemington. “That’s where we think he’s at — a horse who can win one of these big mile races,” Dabernig said.

ANALYSIS: RAILWAY STAKES

WEEKEND BEST BETS

THE EARLY OIL: BALLARAT

The stable has placed winkers on Sovereign Nation after he was slow to begin at his past two starts. Dabernig said Sovereign Nation, a $ 14 Railway chance with TAB, had settled in well in Perth. Last year’s winner Scales Of Justice is $ 6 equal favourite with Chris Waller’s Tom Melbourne.

Sovereign Nation has drawn barrier 15 and will be ridden by Chris Parnham.

Co-trainer David Hayes is in Japan with Boom Time, hoping to win a second Japan Cup to follow Better Loosen Up’s 1990 triumph.

Better Loosen Up was the stable’s most recent Railway Stakes winner, in 1989.

Dabernig will be at Ballarat today, saddling up the stable’s old warrior, 11-year-old Extra Zero, who will be having his 108th start but his first at that track.

He said retiring Extra Zero was always in the conversation but the horse would decide when that happened.

“He’s fit and well and he’s still running well,” he said. “His last-start effort in the Kyneton Cup with his big weight was excellent. When he puts in a bad one or hurts himself, then that will happen, but he couldn’t be healthier.”

Extra Zero is a $ 17 chance with TAB for the Ballarat Cup.

Darren Weir’s impressive Australian debut winner at Flemington, Mr Garcia, is the $ 3.10 favourite.

TAB BETTING SUMMARY

BIG BETS

$ 8,000 on Tom Melbourne to win at $ 6

$ 2,500 on Scales Of Justice to win at $ 6

$ 2,000 on Scales Of Justice to win at $ 6

$ 2,000 on Black Heart Bart to win at $ 6

$ 1,350 each-way on Ulmann at $ 13/$ 4.15

$ 1,200 on Ulmann to place at $ 4

$ 1,150 on Supply And Demand to win at $ 8

$ 1,000 on Supply And Demand to win at $ 11

$ 1,000 on Supply And Demand to win at $ 9.50

$ 1,000 on Scales Of Justice to win at $ 8

$ 1,000 on Tom Melbourne to win at $ 8

$ 1,000 on Ulmann to place at $ 3.90

$ 500 each-way on Variation at $ 17/$ 5

$ 200 to win, $ 2,000 to place on Ulmann at $ 13/$ 4

BEST BACKED FOR THE WIN

1. Tom Melbourne ($ 6) — 44%

2. Black Heart Bart ($ 6.50) — 12%

3. Supply And Demand ($ 9) — 11%

4. Ulmann ($ 12) — 8%

5. Scales Of Justice ($ 6) — 7%

BEST BACKED FOR THE PLACE

1. Ulmann ($ 3.90) — 38%

2. Tom Melbourne ($ 2.45) — 17%

3. Scales Of Justice ($ 2.45) — 11%

4. Black Heart Bart ($ 2.55) — 8%

5. Great Shot ($ 7.10) — 7%

RAILWAY STAKES

(price changes since market opened)

$ 6 Scales Of Justice (out from $ 5.50)

$ 6 Tom Melbourne

$ 6.50 Black Heart Bart (out from $ 6)

$ 9 Supply And Demand (out from $ 8)

$ 11 Variation (in from $ 13)

$ 12 Ulmann

$ 14 Sovereign Nation (out from $ 13)

$ 15 Silverstream (out from $ 14)

$ 15 All Our Roads

$ 16 Pounamu (in from $ 17)

$ 19 Material Man

$ 21 Royal Star

$ 23 Cosmic Storm (in from $ 26)

$ 23 Gatting (in from $ 26)

$ 26 Great Shot

$ 34 Observational

$ 51 Disposition

$ 61 Tradesman (in from $ 81)

$ 151 Bollywood Blitz (in from $ 201)

$ 151 Tonkatuff (in from $ 251)