The Richard Freedman trained top weight Auvray has drawn nicely at barrier two in the capacity field for the 2018 Group 1 $750,000 Heineken 3 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Auvray, above, has drawn barrier 2 in the capacity field in The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.
Auvray will have to carry 57kg with Tye Angland sticking with the eight year old after he ran a courageous race with 59.5kg on his back when second to Carzoff in the Group 3 $200,000 Sharp Electronics Group Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Newcastle on September 14.
Premiership winning trained Chris Waller will saddle up eight of the eighteen runners in the Metropolitan with several international imports among his contingent.
Waller’s runners are Libran (barrier 16), Patrick Erin (4), Alward (1), Brimham Rocks (15), The Lord Mayor (7), High Bridge (3), Opposition (19) and Jake’s Hill (11).
Gai Waterhouse will be striving to win her first Metropolitan with co-trainer Adrian Bott, but her overall fifth, with Sedanzer, after collecting the winning trophy with Coco Cobanna (2000), Dress Circle (2001), Herculian Prince (2010) and Glencadam Gold (2012).
Tim Clark rides Sedanzer who has drawn barrier five and co-trainer Adrian Bott said he was happy to forget the mare’s last start unplaced run when eleventh to Avilius in the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on September 15.
“She has got a much favourable draw. Last start from the wide alley we just had to go back, a bit further back than we would like to and was forced to make a long sustained run which didn’t suit her,” Bott said.
“With that kind of draw today she is going to be a lot closer than we were last start.”
“She is probably one of the most genuine mares we have got in the stable. She gives it all every time.”
“Second up she probably just raced a little bit flat from that first up run which I thought was an enormous run.”
“Stretching out in trip now I think she is really looking for it.”
Final field for the 2018 Metropolitan (2400m)
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7x56164x52 | AUVRAY (FR) | Richard Freedman | Tye Angland | 2 | 57kg | 109 |
| 2 | 021443×005 | BIG DUKE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Brenton Avdulla | 8 | 56.5kg | 107 |
| 3 | 28x420x837 | LIBRAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 16 | 56kg | 107 |
| 4 | x6248x220x | WALL OF FIRE (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | James McDonald | 10 | 54.5kg | 104 |
| 5 | 22x9131x40 | SEDANZER | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 5 | 53kg | 104 |
| 6 | 3114656×64 | PATRICK ERIN (NZ) | Chris Waller | Corey Brown | 4 | 51kg | 97 |
| 7 | 36164x0x02 | MIDTERM (GB) | Liam Howley | Michael Dee | 17 | 50.5kg | 96 |
| 8 | 4x32267x39 | ALWARD (IRE) | Chris Waller | Kathy O’Hara | 1 | 50.5kg | 95 |
| 9 | 419337×351 | MISS ADMIRATION | Mick Price | Dean Holland | 9 | 50kg | 92 |
| 10 | 021x22x332 | BRIMHAM ROCKS (GB) | Chris Waller | Kerrin McEvoy | 15 | 50kg | 100 |
| 11 | 43462L1x33 | SIN TO WIN (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dean Yendall | 12 | 50kg | 93 |
| 12 | 416400×011 | THE LORD MAYOR (NZ) | Chris Waller | Jay Ford | 7 | 50kg | 85 |
| 13 | 7433923×39 | NETTOYER | Wendy Roche | – | 14 | 50kg | 88 |
| 14 | 111×512703 | JUST SHINE (NZ) | Clare Cunningham | Alysha Collett | 13 | 50kg | 87 |
| 15 | 3x7x521134 | SIKANDARABAD (IRE) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Jye McNeil | 6 | 50kg | 86 |
| 16 | 19x31x0x11 | HIGH BRIDGE (GB) | Chris Waller | Craig Williams | 3 | 50kg | 72 |
| 17 | 424x02x675 | OPPOSITION (GB) | Chris Waller | Andrew Adkins | 19 | 50kg | 74 |
| 18 | 134x74x978 | JAKE’S HILL (GB) | Chris Waller | Yusuke Ichikawa | 11 | 50kg | 74 |
| 19e | 32230×0259 | ROMANESQUE (IRE) | Jarrod McLean | Fred W Kersley (a) | 18 | 50kg | 73 |
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