Metrop can be good Cups guide
The Group 1 AJC Metropolitan is not ranked among Australia’s very best races, but in recent times it has had a very good record of unearthing feature winners in Melbourne – see Melbourne Cup Betting
Run over 2400m, the ‘Metrop’ has had a number of changes in conditions over the years, but has now reverted back to a handicap, albeit over 2400m – slightly short of the 2600m it was run over up until 2001.
After a drought stretching back to 1983 when Hayai did the double, the Metropolitan has come good as a Caulfield Cup guide in recent times.
It wasn’t run last year owing to equine influenze, but 2005 winner Railings and 2006 winner Tawqeet both won the Caulfield Cup at their very next start.
As a Melbourne Cup Odds guide it hasn’t fared as well, with Macdougall (1959) the last horse to do the double, but the great Saintly did run third in 1996 before romping away with that year’s Cup.
Whether this year’s renewal will live up to those formlines remains to be seen.
Heading the weights is the AJC Derby winner Fiumicino, who bounced back to winning form in the Hill Stakes two weeks ago. He was a beaten favourite at Randwick last week, but did have a big weight.
The favourite is Red Lord – one of many big race hopes for Champion stallion Redoute’s Choice at Randwick.
This Anthony Cummings trained five-year-old has really matured this time in work, winning twice before being bravely beaten at Rosehill last time out. He was a winner over 2800m at the Flemington carnival last year, so should comfortably cope with the 2400m.
Victorian visitor Gallopin is the other leading hope. Yet to win this preparation, the son of Pins strung together an impressive sequence of wins last summer and looks to be coming good at the right time, with trainer Danny O’Brien opting to run here, rather than Flemington.
