Sydney’s premier trainer Chris Waller will saddle up four of the twelve runners in the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Last start Kingston Town Stakes winner Libran and veteran stayer Who Shot Thebarman share the top weight of 57kg with both coming up with inside barriers.
Libran drew barrier three with Glyn Schofield to ride again after the pair combined for a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 16 while Hugh Bowman finds himself back aboard Who Shot Thebarman who will jump from gate two.
Stablemate Antonio Giuseppe has also drawn in close at barrier four with Hong Kong’s leading jockey Joao Moreira to ride while the last of the Waller runners, Life Less Ordinary with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle will jump from barrier eleven.
Victoria’s leading trainer Darren Weir will saddle up two runners in The Metropolitan, Big Duke from barrier six for Brenton Avdulla and Loresho from barrier ten.
Big Duke has been struggling to find his best form of late but jockey Brenton Avdulla is confident the six year old can turn that around following his last start tenth to Harlem in the Group 3 $150,000 Bendigo Bank East Malvern MRC Foundation Cup (Naturalism Stakes) (2000m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
“I am looking forward to riding him,” Avdulla said.
“He is four runs in on a quick back up for one of the premier trainers in the world.”
“He has run well at the track (Randwick) and he has got some good form against some of the best stayers in the country. He is a Sydney winner, a Sydney Cup placegetter. He won the race before so looking forward to partnering him.”
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable had no hesitation in backing up Broadside Saturday to Saturday after the front running stayer went down narrowly when third behind Auvray and Admiral Jello in last week’s Group 3 $150,000 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill.
“He pulled up super,” Bott said.
“A few runs on the board, Newcastle Cup back up into Saturday and backing up into this Saturday.”
“Quite a bit of racing but we felt that he had to get the miles into his legs and we preferred that option as opposes to going third up into The Metropolitan.”
“He has come through that in good order and hasn’t had to do too much this week and will be ready to fire on Saturday.”
Final Field for the 2017 The Metropolitan (2400m)
# | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2x8746Px61 | LIBRAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 3 | 57kg | 108 |
2 | 55x3642x94 | WHO SHOT THEBARMAN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 2 | 57kg | 108 |
3 | 31×9763415 | DESTINY’S KISS | Joseph Pride | Jason Collett | 7 | 55.5kg | 105 |
4 | 0x0D71x000 | AMRALAH (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | – | 12 | 55kg | 104 |
5 | 121113×550 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Brenton Avdulla | 6 | 55kg | 104 |
6 | 2x1240x542 | ANTONIO GIUSEPPE (NZ) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 4 | 54.5kg | 103 |
7 | 1x37301x37 | CHOCANTE (NZ) | Stephen Marsh | Corey Brown | 1 | 54.5kg | 103 |
8 | x65123x813 | BROADSIDE (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 9 | 52kg | 98 |
9 | 41x122x253 | LIFE LESS ORDINARY (IRE) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 11 | 51kg | 96 |
10 | x830x33x24 | FOUNDRY (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | – | 8 | 50.5kg | 95 |
11 | 213×009435 | LORESHO (FR) | Darren Weir | – | 10 | 50kg | 92 |
12 | 0250942213 | MY DIAMANTINE (NZ) | Brian Smith | Andrew Spinks | 5 | 50kg | 88 |