The Metropolitan is Sydney’s premiere Spring Carnival staying test, and an open field of gallopers will step out at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
As is often the case in Sydney’s biggest races, Chris Waller will launch a multi-pronged attack, and the champion trainer will saddle seven of the fifteen starters in The Metropolitan field.
Have I selected one of Waller’s stayers to win? Scroll down to my 2022 The Metropolitan Tips to find out!
Suggested Bets
- 3 Units E/W #9 Surefire
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
I have! He isn’t the early occupant of the top line of The Metropolitan betting, but I think that this is the perfect Group 1 target for Surefire.
The Fastnet Rock gelding stamped himself as a galloper to follow during his first Aussie campaign in autumn, and he returned a winner this time in the Spring Preview at Rosehill last month.
He has since finished fifth in the Chelmsford Stakes and the Kingstown Town Stakes, and I think that the mile and a half will be absolutely ideal at this point of his preparation.
If there is a horse that is over the odds in The Metropolitan betting, it’s Chalk Stream ($21 at publish).
Chalk Stream is another horse that arrived in Australia in autumn of this year, and he returned some bold efforts during his preparation.
He has stripped fitter for two starts back this time and was last seen finishing fourth behind Cadre Du Noir in the Tattersall’s Cup.
Fitter third-up and with only 51kgs in tow, I think that he is a live chance of winning for the late Her Majesty The Queen.
That’s right, I’ve picked a Chris Waller trifecta in The Metropolitan 2022.
Durston has had four starts back from a spell, and returned to winning form in the Wyong Cup two back before returning arguably the performance of his career to easily account for his rivals in the Newcastle Cup last time out.
He steps out this weekend in peak fitness and is a deserved favourite in The Metropolitan betting, but I’m not sure that was the strongest Newcastle Cup in recent memory, and this is a rise in class.
I thought I better include a horse that isn’t part of the Waller stable in my selections, and the Joe Pride-trained Stockman can run a race in The Metropolitan.
Stockman hasn’t struck in three runs back this time, but he has improved noticeably with each, and he was last seen finishing fourth in the Kingston Town Stakes.
He managed to finish second behind Duais in the Tancred Stakes back in March, and a repeat of that effort would surely see him into the finish of this race.