After being slowly into stride and among the tail-enders on the race favourite Galaxy Star in Saturday's $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot, champion jockey William Pike admitted his thoughts were more on formulating his excuse to connections than winning the race.
Hugging the rail around the home turn, Pike eased the Bob Peters homebred to the centre of the track and without missing a beat Galaxy Star mounted her challenge at the 250-metre mark before safely holding the challenge of Gatting by one and a quarter lengths with Material Man back a head back in third.
"I was terrified in the run. I was starting to go through my excuses, Pike said.
"But she was there for me today so credit to Grant and Alana Williams they had her primed for today."
The daughter of Redoute's Choice becomes the third Railway Stakes winner for Peters after Old Comrade in 2001 and Elite Belle in 2014.
Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, Galaxy Star advances her record to 10 wins and three seconds from 13 starts with earnings of $981,0000.
The 6yo mare only opened her stakes account at her previous start in the Asian Beau Stakes on November 3.
"This is the hardest race in the state to win," Bob Peters said.
"It's very enjoyable when a plan comes together. When she was so far back early I thought here we go again but you could see as they came around the corner you could see she was travelling.
"We have aimed her for this race since she was a foal." 
Peters said Galaxy Star will back up in the $1 million Group 1 Kingston Town Stakes (1800m) at Ascot on December 8.
From one of the Peters most successful families, Galaxy Star is the is the second and final foal of Galaxy Queen whose death in January 2013 is looking more and more tragic.
Galaxy Queen (Jeune) was a sister to the stakes-winning Star Encounter who placed in the Group 1 WA Derby and Group III WA Oaks.
Star Encounter is the dam of Group II Perth Cup winner and Group 1 Doomben Cup runner-up Star Exhibit (Statue Of Liberty) and Group II WA Guineas winner Perfect Jewel and Listed winner Royal Star who are both by Redoute's Choice.
Galaxy Star becomes the 34th Group 1 winner for Arrowfield Stud's evergreen Redoute's Choice who has 21 yearlings catalogued for the Gold Coast in January.
