A total of 87 nominations have been weighted for the 148th running of The Metropolitan (2400m) to be staged at Royal Randwick on Saturday 4th October 2014.
Sea Moon (GB), has been allotted the topweight in the race with 58.0kg on a 52.0kg limit. Sea Moon (GB) was topweight in last years The Metropolitan also, however did not contest the event. Over the 2400m distance, Sea Moon has started seven times, for four wins and one minor placing, all at black type level. His most recent win was the Group 2 Herbert Power (2400m), where he carried 59.5kg to victory.
Next in the weights with 57.5kg is Hawkspur, a winner of the Group 1-Queensland Derby (2400m) as a three-year-old and has been the winner of the WFA Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) in consecutive years. He rises 0.5kg from the weight he received in this race last year and has performed well in some of the major Australian group 1 handicap races including the 2013 Caulfield Cup and 2014 Doncaster Mile.
Mourayan (IRE), the 2013 Group 1-Sydney Cup (3200m) victor, will be asked to carry 57.0kg. He carried 58.0kg in last year’s edition of The Metropolitan and finished 3.0 lengths behind the winner. Since then Mourayan has finished a close 2nd to Fiorente in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) but has finished unplaced in other races contested.
Ever consistent galloper Moriarty (IRE) has received 56.0kg. He was competitive in last year’s edition of the race with the same relative weight, only being beaten 1.4 lengths.
Voleuse de Coeurs (IRE) will be asked to carry 55.5kg and is the only mare nominated to be given weight above the 52.0kg minimum. She is the winner of the 2013 Group 1 St Ledger at the Curragh (2800m) by 6 lengths. She has had four starts since arriving in Australia, all at the highest level, most recently in the Sydney Cup earlier this year where she was unplaced carrying 58.0kg topweight after weights were raised 2.0kg.
He’s Your Man (FR) who won Saturdays 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.