European import Sea Moon has been allocated the topweight for the second year in succession for the Group 1 $400,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 4.
Sea Moon has been allocated the topweight of 58kgs for The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Sea Moon, who didn’t take his place in the field in 2013, was been given 58kgs by the Racing New South Wales Handicapping Panel, 1kg less than year.
Last start Chelmsford Stakes winner Hawkspur, one of twenty-two runners nominated for the Metropolitan from the Chris Waller stable, is second topweight with 57.5kgs just ahead of Sea Moon’s stablemate Mourayan on 57kgs.
Waller looks set to dominate the Metropolitan with last start winners Who Shot Thebarman, 55.5kgs and French import He’s Your Man, 53.5kgs, well up the market order with Ladbrokes.com.au.
Who Shot Thebarman shot into Metropolitan contention with a win in the $100,000 Sofitel Girls’ Day Out 2000 (2000m) at Flemington last Saturday, his first win since taking out the Group 1 NZ$500,000 Barefoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 5.
And He’s Your Man also stamped himself as a serious contender winning his second race from his last three starts in the Group 3 $125,000 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on the weekend.
“He’s Your Man who won Saturday’s Group 3-Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) in dominant fashion, has been given 53.5kg. Twice a winner over 2400m in France and has progressed significantly in his second Australian preparation,” The Racing New South Wales Handicapping Panel said.
Even though He’s Your Man is racing in fine form, Waller indicated that he is no certain starter in the Metropolitan and he could revert him back to the 1600m of the Group 1 $500,000 The Star Epsom Handicap at Randwick on the same day.
“I wouldn’t hesitate sending He’s Your Man back to an Epsom, especially if I felt it was a winnable race for him,’’ Waller said.
“I don’t know if I want to step him up to 2400m just yet. There’s not really any turning back once you get to 2400m, and they tend to become a bit one-paced.
“He wasn’t pulling or over-racing on the weekend, but he was a little bit keen.
“A lot of our horses are weight-for-age horses, and to win an Epsom over the tough mile, you need a 2000m horse who is suited down in the weights.’’
The Team Hawkes trained La Amistad is weighted on the minimum with 52kgs and will need to improve sharply on her last start seventh to He’s Your Man in the Kingston Town Stakes to maintain her spot at the head of the market order.
The Hawkes team also have Entirely Platinum, 53.5kgs, in contention but the Pentire gelding was also disappointing on a heavy track when eighth to Hawkspur in the Group 2 $175,000 Tattersalls Club Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 6.
Early betting for the Metropolitan sees La Amistad still the favourite at $7 ahead of He’s Your Man at $8 with Entirely Platinum, Hawkspur and the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained Spillway (53kgs) all at $11.
The Gai Waterhouse trained Bonfire (52.5kgs), and the two Waller stablemates Moriarty (56kgs) and Who Shot Thebarman are all on the next line of betting at $13.
