Smith, who has stables in Warrnambool and Perth, rates Too Close The Sun's hopes of winning the classic as good after the lightly-raced five-year-old drew a wide barrier.

Too Close The Sun won the traditional lead-in race to the Railway, the Ascot Gold Cup, by more than four lengths last Saturday.

"Too Close The Sun has drawn barrier 16 but with the emergencies coming out he should come into gate 12," Smith said.

"Barrier 12 is not ideal but it's not that bad. He'll push forward from that gate.

"There's a nice run down the back straight. He should be on the pace and I hope he'll be finishing strongly.

"His win in the Ascot Gold Cup last week was very good and he hasn't gone backwards in his work this week."

Too Close The Sun has firmed in early betting markets from $7.50 to $5.50.

Smith has won the Railway Stakes on two occasions. His first winner was Old Comrade in 2001 before he won with Scales Of Justice in 2016.

Fellow Warrnambool trainer Matthew Williams has his veteran galloper Gailo Chop running in the Railway. The 10-year-old will be ridden by Brad Rawiller, who is now based in Perth.

Smith has one runner Riding The Wave in at Ballarat on Saturday. The Ballarat meeting carries metropolitan status as there's no races in Melbourne on Saturday.

Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, has two runners in the $500,000 Ballarat Cup, the feature race on the nine event program. Their runners are Junipal and Al Galayel.

Warrnambool trainer Maddi Raymond has called on the services of Dean Yendall to ride Pacodali in the cup.

The Ballarat Cup is scheduled for 4.25pm.

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