Epsom Handicap Tips & Preview 2023
The Metropolitan Tips & Preview 2023
Looking for The Metropolitan tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 The Metropolitan at Randwick.
THE METROPOLITAN BETTING SNAPSHOT
It is the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained import, Just Fine, that dominates the market. He is a $1.75 favourite with Picklebet ahead of the Chris Waller-trained Mr Waterville at $10. Benaud filled the exacta behind Just Fine at his last start and is at $11.
There are 18 horses in action and it is another Waterhouse/Bott galloper that is next in the market. That horse is Major Beel at $15, while Kalapour is a $21 shot. Al Aabir and the Lloyd Williams contender, Cleveland, are at $23.
THE METROPOLITAN FORM ANALYSIS
Just Fine has had the two starts in Australia for two comprehensive wins and the figures back up those performances. He was in cruise control first up at Randwick over the 1600m when winning by nearly three lengths from Tazaral, going 7.7 lengths faster than standard benchmark.
The son of Sea The Stars then stepped out in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) and went at a solid tempo up the front before racing away at the top of the straight to defeat Benaud and Montefilia. He went a very healthy 15 lengths faster than standard that day, which is the best last start figure of any runner. Only Knights Order has produced a better figure in the last two years when going 18.4 lengths faster than standard to claim the 2022 Sydney Cup (3200m).
He drops 5kg in weight for this, meeting the likes of Benaud 1.5kg better. Six runners come out of the Kingston Town Stakes. Benaud produced the second fastest last 200m. Major Beel (6th), Navajo Peak (8th), Kinghts Order (10th) and Manzoice (11th) are the others that were in action. It is hard to see that quartet making up the required ground to trouble Just Fine.
A further eight runners had their last runs in the Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) that was taken out by Military Mission. The stablemate of Just Fine went just 5.5 lengths faster than standard. His personal best came three starts ago when 3rd over the 2000m at Randwick behind Hosier at Group 3 level.
Hosier has since finished 3rd at Newcastle and is likely to settle in the first few here, as is Spirit Ridge, who was runner-up. Other notable runs in the Newcastle Cup came from Cleveland, who copped a bit of traffic before producing the fastest last 200m to run 9th, beaten four lengths.
Two runners come up from Melbourne and they are Future History and Ho Ho Khan. That pair finished runner-up and 9th respectively in a 2040m race behind Young Werther on September 9. Future History is a Maher/Eustace import that has been consistent since coming over and is worth consideration at the price.
Mr Waterville and Al Aabir are others in the race and both are from the Chris Waller camp. Mr Waterville steps up from a BenchMark 88 over the 1900m and should enjoy the rise to the 2400m. The son of Camelot has had just nine starts and his two wins have both been over 3000m. Al Aabir was runner-up in the Colin Stephen Quality at Randwick over the 2400m recently and is in the mix for a top three finish.
THE METROPOLITAN TIPS AND BEST BETS
Impossible to go past Just Fine after what he has done in his two starts in Australia. With just the 50kg on his back and from barrier 2 he looks to be the one. Roughie backers that after a bit of value can consider the two that are coming up from Victoria in Future History and Ho Ho Khan. Future History should be ready to peak at his fifth run this time in and we must respect the stable. Ho Ho Khan’s best performances since coming to Australia have been when there has been a hot tempo on, winning at Caulfield and placing 4th in the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington last year. He has had three runs off a long layoff and should enjoy a solid tempo in the race. Look for him to be running on at a big price.
