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The battle to end 2016 as Australia’s current leading Group One trainer intensifies in Perth over the next three Saturdays.

With the spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne done and dusted three trainers share the lead to be this season’s leading G1 trainer.

It’s no surprise that the three are the reigning champion Chris Waller, Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir and Godolphin’s John O’Shea. The trio have each won three majors and are one ahead of Mick Price, Ciaron Maher and the Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott partnership.

Perth stages the last three G1 races of 2016 over the next three Saturdays, starting with the $1 million Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday.

The $1 million Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) on November 26 and the $1 million Kingston Town Classic (1800m) on December 3 complete the Perth treble.

At this point only Waller and Weir are the only trainers among the G1 leaders who will have starters in the Perth features, leaving them to fight for Group One bragging rights going into the second half of the season in 2017.

Waller has been Australia’s leading G1 trainer for the past four seasons, a time frame that corresponds with Darren Weir’s rise to prominence as Victoria’s leading trainer.

Weir won his first G1 race in 2002 with She’s Archie in the SA Oaks. He did not win another until 2013 when Platelet landed the Sangster Stakes-Goodwood Handicap double in Adelaide.

His tally of G1 wins has since grown to 16 including six last season, crowned by his Melbourne Cup success with Prince Of Penzance.

He is on track to go to a new personal best this season after landing three spring majors with Black Heart Bart (Underwood Stakes; Memsie Stakes) and Palentino (Makybe Diva Stakes).

Weir has sent Rageese, a starter in Saturday’s Railway Stakes, and Stratum Star to Perth while Waller had three horses on Monday’s flight that carried the eastern states entries.

Waller starts Mackintosh and last year’s winner Good Project in the Railway Stakes while Vanbrugh is set for the Kingston Town Classic.

Mackintosh and Good Project may also contest the Kingston Town Classic where Weir will be represented by Stratum Star and possibly Rageese.

Waller’s three G1 wins this season have all been courtesy of his champion mare Winx in the George Main Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate.

John O'Shea is the only one of the leading trio to win his three G1 races with three different horses – Astern (Golden Rose); Hauraki (Epsom Handicap) and Hartnell (Turnbull Stakes).