Favourite backers were given a fright in the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday with the heavily-backed favourite Just Fine only just getting to the line in the final stride to salute at an odds-on quote of $1.75.

2023 The Metropolitan winner Just Fine is Melbourne Cup-bound this spring. Photo: Steve Hart.

The European expat has now won three-from-three down under with Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott after fighting off the front-running Spirit Ridge ($41) who was huge nearly stealing the show in The Metropolitan on Epsom Day.

Spirit Ridge, backing up from a second in the Newcastle Gold Cup, went straight to the front and only relinquished the lead right on the line when the progressive import Just Fine outclassed him late.

It was a memorable Epsom meeting with a Group 1 double for the female hoops as Rachel King produced a peach of a performance to get Just Fine home following on from the Epsom Handicap success of Kathy O’Hara on the Chris Waller-trained Rediener.

“It was very special, Kathy was the first person to come up next to me and give me a fist pump and I couldn’t have been happier to see her win the Epsom,” King said.

“Kath’s been someone I’ve looked up to from the minute I’ve been in Australia so to follow her today and she won her Group 1 first and I got to get mine next. Girls are taking over.”

King settled just off the front-runners in The Metropolitan saving Just Fine who got the gap on the straight, moved up to Spirit Ridge and went stride-for-stride with the roughie before scoring victory by a neck in a sensational edition of the Spring Cups lead-up.

“I wanted to give my bloke as easy a time as possible and not give him too much work to do. Luckily once he got his nose in front he was very tough,” King added.

There was a notable gap back to third with the Kris Lees-trained Kalapour rounding out the trifecta a further four and a half-lengths away.

Co-trainer Bott confirmed plans to head to Melbourne now with Just Fine who proved his staying potential and now has the Group 1 $8.41 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 7 in his sights.

“Fantastic, I’m delighted for the horse, for everyone involved, there’s a lot of people,” Bott told Sky Thoroughbred Central.

“For My Racehorse to support us, it’s a unique ownership opportunity that can touch so many people.

“Hopefully it’s a popular win, glad we were able to deliver.

“Thrilling finish, I wasn’t sure we were going to get the upper hand. It was tough, well done to the horse.

“I think we might have to (head to Melbourne now), it’s hard to deny it after that. He just continues to improve and go the right way for us and he opened up more options for him today staying that trip.

A new track record was also set with Just Fine winning in a slick time of 2 minutes 26.11 seconds.

Current pre-field Melbourne Cup 2023 odds online at Ladbrokes have Just Fine installed as a $21 shot.

2023 The Metropolitan Results 

Table Credit: Racing Australia.