The third and final major at Randwick this Saturday is The Metropolitan (2400m), where it looks an open race on paper.
Down below is a speed map, runner preview and $100 betting strategy for the 2025 The Metropolitan.
2025 The Metropolitan Runner Preview:
1. Vauban: Loved the first up run. Second up run was disgusting…just too bad. Awful. If he bounces back, too good, but I can’t have him.
2. Arapaho: He’s flying this horse. He has been so game over the last three years and this prep, he has been quite good without winning. He loves the 2400m, should settle handy and be around the mark.
3. More Felons: $126+ for him sees crazy. He wasn’t too bad in the Kingston Town, making up ground without threatening. Upside, sense of timing, 2400m…he seems a massive price.
4. Changingoftheguard: Several weeks between runs since a strong all the way win at this track/distance, getting a 12/10 from J Mac. He lands near the front again and loses nothing with Ethan Brown, who rides on speed runners so well.
5. Adelaide River: SCR
6. Athabascan: Athabascan is on track I think to run really well. He comes through the Kingston Town where he got back to near last in the run and while he was never threatening, he was solid late in the piece from the back behind Birdman. Gets down in the weights, love him up to 2400m, he can threaten at odds.
7. Birdman: Birdman…does he think? I reckon he did in the Kingston Town because he looked as if he was going to win by 2-3 once let down but in the end, he just scraped in over Adelaide River. Looks cherry ripe for this though and rising to 2400m, hard fit, perhaps a more patient steer so he doesn’t hit the front early…hard to beat.
8. Soul Of Sun: Just fair in the Kingston Town. Not up to these.
9. Soul Of Spain: He is flying at present. But, the Newcastle Cup…it was a barrier trial and he had the A1 run in transit. Different set up here and IMO, I can’t have him as favourite.
10. Etna Rosso: The obvious eye catcher in the Kingston Town. But to counter the eye catching run, he bludged out the back and saved all the ground nearer the inside. Can’t entertain him.
11. Piggyback: Loved the way she dug in to win the Colin Stephen last Saturday but it was a nothing race and I can’t entertain that form as a winning form reference.
12. Glory Daze: Racing well but needs it easier than this.
13. Royal Supremacy: Had every chance in the Newcastle Cup but just couldn’t quite get there. He is racing well, but I just can’t see him threatening them.
14. Wyclif: I actually thought he did a pretty good job in the Newcastle Cup given the race shape. He tumbles in weight, he’ll do no work, be strong late…one for exotics.
15. Don Diego De Vega: Bombed the start in the Newcastle Cup and that sealed his fate. Not troubling these IMO.
16. Flying Bandit: Flying Bandit is my throw at the stumps. I have been hot on this horse being a Group 1 talent for some time and he gets his chance to show it here. He ran last Saturday at Rosehill when back off the slow speed and made up good ground without threatening. He won’t know himself with 50kg on his back, he’ll be strong late and has enormous upside.
17. Travolta: He’s racing really well at present and maps to do no work. Just don’t think he is up to winning a Group 1.
18. Juja Kibo: Had every chance last Saturday in the Colin Stephen and off that, he can’t quite measure up.
19. Sun’N’Sand (First Emergency): Not troubling these.
2025 The Metropolitan $100 Betting Strategy:
$20 Win/$80 Place Flying Bandit Tote/SP
Group 1 Strategy Outlay: $800
Group 1 Strategy Return: $605
The Metropolitan Field
| No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VAUBAN (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 7 | 58.5kg |
| 2 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | Ms Rachel King | 13 | 58kg |
| 3 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 20 | 55kg |
| 4 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | Kris Lees | Ethan Brown | 8 | 54.5kg |
| 6 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Dylan Gibbons | 3 | 52kg |
| 7 | BIRDMAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 17 | 51.5kg |
| 8 | SON OF SUN (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Ms Molly Bourke (a) | 16 | 51kg |
| 9 | SOUL OF SPAIN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Zac Lloyd | 11 | 50.5kg |
| 10 | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 2 | 50kg |
| 11 | PIGGYBACK | Ciaron Maher | Andrew Adkins | 14 | 50kg |
| 12 | GLORY DAZE (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Ms Anna Roper (a) | 4 | 50kg |
| 13 | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Robbie Dolan | 9 | 50kg |
| 14 | WYCLIF (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Ms Louise Day | 6 | 50kg |
| 15 | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | Ms Alysha Collett | 12 | 50kg |
| 16 | FLYING BANDIT | Kerry Parker | Brock Ryan | 5 | 50kg |
| 17 | TRAVOLTA (GB) | Chris Waller | Ben Thompson | 1 | 50kg |
| 18 | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Reece Jones | 15 | 50kg |
| 19e | SUN ’N’ SAND | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | Ms Winona Costin | 19 | 50kg |
The Metropolitan Odds
2025 The Metropolitan Speed Map
I can’t see a designated leader. Perhaps Juja Kibo and Sun N Sand can be 1-2 like they were last Saturday? It’ll all come down to how the field jumps and who will show the initiative.
