2016 Australian Derby winner Tavago tops the weights with 58kg for the 2017 Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on September 30.

Tavago, above, has been allocated the top weight for the 2017 The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Tavago, above, has been allocated the top weight for the 2017 The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

The former New Zealand trained stayer who is prepared by Cranbourne based Kiwis Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young has only won once from six starts since his win in 2016 Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick when he took out the Group 3 $350,000 McGrath Estate Agents Sky High Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill during this year’s Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Tavago has had one run back from a spell for the 2017 Spring Carnival for a first up seventh to Humidor in the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last Saturday.

The Chris Waller of Libran and Who Shot Thebarman both has been given 57kg for The Metropolitan and both put in first class trials for the Sydney Spring Carnival feature staying race in last Saturday’s Group 3 $150,000 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

European import Libran returned to the winner’s stall in the Kingston Towns Stakes while veteran stayer Who Shot Thebarman put in an eye catching finish to just miss the place in finishing fourth.

In an all Waller finish, Metropolitan hopefuls Antonio Giuseppe and Tom Melbourne finished second and third in the Kingston Town Stakes and both gallopers have been allocated 54.5kg for the feature staying event.

French import Guardini is the highest weighted of the eleven Darren Weir trained horses nominated for The Metropolitan with 56.5kg while Newcastle Gold Cup failure Pacodali has been given 52kg.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Broadside completed a quick form reversal and after finishing eighth of eight in the Listed $125,000 Premier’s Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on August 26, led all of the way to win the Group 3 $175,000 XXXX Gold Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Newcastle on September 15 and gain automatic entry into The Metropolitan with only 52kg.

Final acceptances for The Metropolitan will be taken at 9am on Wednesday, September 27, 2017.

Weights for the 2017 The Metropolitan (2400m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 1x65123x81 BROADSIDE (NZ) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 1 52kg 98
2 1x00x518x7 TAVAGO (NZ) G 5 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 2 58kg 110
3 2x8746Px61 LIBRAN (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 3= 57kg 108
4 55x3642x94 WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) G 9 Chris Waller 3= 57kg 108
5 9x031x270x GALLANTE (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 5= 56.5kg 107
6 x80x621x02 GUARDINI (FR) H 7 Darren Weir 5= 56.5kg 107
7 01121x5x76 VENTURA STORM (IRE) H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 7 56kg 106
8 x9210x71x0 ASSIGN (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 8= 55.5kg 105
9 31×9763415 DESTINY’S KISS G 9 Joseph Pride 8= 55.5kg 105
10 3x37710x24 TALLY G 5 James Cummings 8= 55.5kg 105
11 543321×806 ALLERGIC G 6 James Cummings 11= 55kg 104
12 0x0D71x000 AMRALAH (IRE) H 8 Robert Hickmott 11= 55kg 104
13 1121113×55 BIG DUKE (IRE) G 6 Darren Weir 11= 55kg 104
14 x11x330x90 BONDI BEACH (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 11= 55kg 104
15 2x1240x542 ANTONIO GIUSEPPE (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller 15= 54.5kg 103
16 5x0x010x55 ARTICUS (FR) G 6 Darren Weir 15= 54.5kg 103
17 1x37301x37 CHOCANTE (NZ) G 5 Stephen Marsh 15= 54.5kg 103
18 1x212411x1 STAMPEDE H 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 15= 54.5kg 103
19 3x6905x222 TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 15= 54.5kg 103
20 1x4214x839 AMELIE’S STAR M 6 Darren Weir 15= 52.5kg 103
21 282x060x00 SEABURGE H 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 21 54kg 102
22 1516510×39 BOOM TIME H 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 22= 53.5kg 101
23 2384x386x5 HARLEM (GB) H 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 22= 53.5kg 101
24 7x39x12x13 ALOFT (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 24= 53kg 100
25 028x337x76 MAURUS (GB) G 7 John P Thompson 24= 53kg 100
26 x533x0x038 FOUNDATION (IRE) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 26 52.5kg 99
27 144×802225 CLASSIC UNIFORM G 5 Gary Moore 27= 52kg 98
28 86×3151118 PACODALI (IRE) G 5 Darren Weir 27= 52kg 98
29 228x8x0178 DEE I CEE (NZ) G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 29= 51.5kg 97
30 1x75459x70 KINEMA (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 29= 51.5kg 97
31 624x128x19 MEGABLAST (NZ) G 6 Nigel Tiley 29= 51.5kg 97
32 35x2111x08 MONTOYA’S SECRET M 4 Leon & Troy Corstens 29= 50kg 97
33 0x50086412 AUVRAY (FR) G 7 Richard Freedman 33= 51kg 96
34 41x122x253 LIFE LESS ORDINARY (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 33= 51kg 96
35 2x513x412x OUR CENTURY (IRE) G 7 Robert Hickmott 33= 51kg 96
36 x830x33x24 FOUNDRY (IRE) G 8 Robert Hickmott 36= 50.5kg 95
37 0x4131x590 HANS HOLBEIN (GB) G 6 Robert Hickmott 36= 50.5kg 95
38 x227x090x5 SINGING (FR) H 8 Kris Lees 36= 50.5kg 95
39 0184260×50 FANATIC (NZ) M 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 39= 50kg 94
40 820x076x07 GREY LION (IRE) H 6 Matt Cumani 39= 50kg 94
41 14x4197x88 RAW IMPULSE (GB) H 6 Darren Weir 39= 50kg 94
42 5225223×54 COOL CHAP G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 42= 50kg 93
43 2x34340x46 HARLOW GOLD (NZ) M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 42= 50kg 93
44 x121211234 SAYED (USA) G 5 Chris Waller 42= 50kg 93
45 522x0121x6 TIME TO TEST G 7 Tony McEvoy 42= 50kg 93
46 2482x542x9 VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) G 6 Michael Moroney 42= 50kg 93
47 213×009435 LORESHO (FR) H 7 Darren Weir 47 50kg 92
48 2210×67911 EMBLEY G 6 Bjorn Baker 48= 50kg 91
49 6x1164x362 KILIMANJARO (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 48= 50kg 91
50 244×306321 MASTER ZEPHYR (GB) G 6 Darren Weir 48= 50kg 91
51 9065227×37 ETYMOLOGY G 5 James Cummings 51 50kg 90
52 12652×5770 HARPER’S CHOICE H 4 Gerald Ryan 52 50kg 89
53 1214×42333 ADMIRAL JELLO G 5 Kris Lees 53= 50kg 88
54 9520449×00 LORD VAN PERCY (GB) G 8 Darren Weir 53= 50kg 88
55 x025094221 MY DIAMANTINE (NZ) M 7 Brian Smith 53= 50kg 88
56 x9x1735111 KELLSTORM (IRE) H 5 Darren Weir 56 50kg 87
57 1x1x21x322 CROCODILE ROCK (IRE) G 6 Robert Hickmott 57= 50kg 86
58 14112132×7 FIRENZE M 6 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 57= 50kg 86
59 22×2325210 CISMONTANE (NZ) G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 59= 50kg 84
60 41231x2x21 SAMOVARE M 4 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 59= 50kg 84
61 168×211314 YOGI (NZ) G 5 Darren Weir 59= 50kg 84
62 x891413559 CHARLEVOIX G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 62= 50kg 83
63 4051421427 SUPER HAZE (IRE) G 6 Tony McEvoy 62= 50kg 83
64 7440234129 THE GETAWAY G 4 Paul Perry 64 50kg 81
65 1x354965x4 ANAHEIM H 4 Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young 65 50kg 79
66 2634×54114 ALWARD (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 66= 50kg 78
67 53324658×8 SHALMANESER G 7 Richard Litt 66= 50kg 78
68 5241x32x11 UP ’N’ ROLLING (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller 66= 50kg 78
69 1357541827 WAHNG WAH M 5 Kris Lees 66= 50kg 78
70 4621x30x46 DOUKHAN (IRE) G 9 Kris Lees 70 50kg 75
71 00×4026112 EUREKA STREET G 4 Robert Smerdon 71 50kg 71
72 6748x111x7 ROMAN SON G 4 Anthony & Edward Cummings 72 50kg 70
73 2311 SOCIAL ELEMENT (NZ) G 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 73 50kg 69

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.