Gai Waterhouse is hoping for an 9th win in The Metropolitan
As Gai Waterhouse aims for her ninth Metropolitan Handicap win, Dee I Cee is one of three chances to give training partner Adrian Bott his first Group One success.
If Dee I Cee can win the $750,000 race at Randwick, Waterhouse will extend her record 24 years after she got her first elite level success with Te Akau Nick in the 1992 Metropolitan.
Dee I Cee will be the third and final Waterhouse-Bott Group One runner on Saturday with Global Glamour aiming to upset Omei Sword the Flight Stakes and Fabrizio running in the Epsom Handicap.
Jockey Kerrin McEvoy is also looking for his first Metropolitan win and gets down to 51kg to ride Dee I Cee.
“Down in the weights I think he’s a great chance,” Bott said.
Dee I Cee has the chance to become the 16th Metropolitan winner trained from Tulloch Lodge with Waterhouse’s father Tommy Smith winning the race seven times.
If the full field of 13 lines up on Saturday, Dee I Cee will jump from barrier seven.
“We couldn’t be happier with where he’s drawn,” Bott said.
“I think he’ll get every opportunity from there.
“If he’s good enough, which we think he is, he’ll be fighting out the finish.”
Dee I Cee was second in the Group Three Newcastle Cup behind Sacred Master on September 16.
“It was a brilliant run last start in the Newcastle Cup,” Bott said.
“We covered plenty of ground although he had cover.”
“He loomed up into it strongly. I think it’s a nice form guide going into the Metropolitan.”
Bott said the Metropolitan had been a long-range target for Dee I Cee.
“He worked beautifully on Tuesday morning. I think he’s going into it absolutely spot on,” Bott said.
Sacred Master is one of six Chris Waller-trained runners in the Metropolitan.
The Waller-trained Antonio Giuseppe is $4.60 favourite to win his fifth consecutive race and jump from dominant benchmark performer to Group One winner, while Dee I Cee is a $16 hope.
John Thompson-trained Sir John Hawkwood had an exhibition gallop at Kembla Grange on Tuesday and shares the second line of betting with Sacred Master at $6.
Godolphin’s Magic Hurricane is aiming to be the fourth horse in the race’s 150-year history to claim back-to-back wins.
“He did a terrific piece of work last week and has a fantastic chance of repeating last year’s win,” Godolphin Australia managing director Henry Plumptre said.
He said stablemate Allergic had come through Saturday’s Group Three Colin Stephen Quality win at Rosehill and will have a seven-day back-up into the Metropolitan.
“He’s a proven 2400 metre horse and he’s in form,” Plumptre said.
Allergic is at $8 and Magic Hurricane is an $11 chance.
