Punters have latched on to Mr Charlie in Saturday's Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick, confident the interstate raider can return home with the Group One prize.A former New Zealander, the Peter Moody-trained Mr Charlie firmed to $4 outright favourite on Friday as punters went cold on former favourite Herculian Prince."It's no surprise to me that he (Mr Charlie) is into favourite," Glenn Munsie from TAB Sportsbet said."He has been $5.50 in to $4 outright favourite in the 24 hours since lunchtime

Punters have latched on to Mr Charlie in Saturday's Metropolitan Handicap at Randwick, confident the interstate raider can return home with the Group One prize.

A former New Zealander, the Peter Moody-trained Mr Charlie firmed to $4 outright favourite on Friday as punters went cold on former favourite Herculian Prince.

"It's no surprise to me that he (Mr Charlie) is into favourite," Glenn Munsie from TAB Sportsbet said.

"He has been $5.50 in to $4 outright favourite in the 24 hours since lunchtime on Thursday and 65 per cent of the money on Friday has been for him.

"There's been a huge amount of interest in him and punters are never concerned to back one of Peter Moody's coming up from Melbourne."

Herculian Prince put in the worst run of his career when failing to beat a runner home in last Saturday's Colin Stephen over the Metropolitan distance of 2400m, and was subsequently found to have choked down.

He has drifted from $3.20 to $4.40.

Centrebet also reported Mr Charlie was all the rage in Metrop betting with the five-year-old's price crunched from $6.50 on Wednesday to $4.25.

Mr Charlie was a winner of the NZ St Leger (2500m) by 6-1/4 lengths in March and will be having just his third start since joining Moody's Melbourne team.

His two starts in Australia have resulted in an impressive win over 1700m at Flemington last month followed by a 1-1/4-length fifth in the Listed Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 18.

Moody has elected to apply blinkers to Mr Charlie for Saturday's Randwick race with Luke Nolen to ride.

While there has been plenty of support to suggest Mr Charlie is the horse to beat, 2008 winner Newport is a $35 chance to become just the fifth multiple winner of the event.

Since the first running in 1866, only Mooltan (1907-08), Murray Stream (1945, 1947), Tails (1969-70) and Hayai (1983-84) have won the race more than once.

Newport, who started at $41 when winning the race two years ago, has been well beaten in three starts so far this preparation.

Trainer Paul Perry believes if the gelding can recapture some of his winter form from Brisbane then he'd be in with a show on Saturday.

The grey stayer was third to Triple Honour in the weight-for-age Eagle Farm Cup (2200m) in June before running fourth in the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m), beaten just over 1-1/2 lengths.

He is coming off a last-start 10th in the Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) on his home track.

"I'd like to see him stand up tomorrow," Perry said.