This year at the final major race meeting of the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, Epsom Handicap Day, an elite line-up of Group features will take place including the 2010 The Metropolitan at Randwick on Saturday October 2.

The $400,000 Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) is run under handicap conditions and is considered a key lead-up to the esteemed $2.5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) held a fortnight later.

A field of 98 horses make up the 2010 The Metropolitan nominations that were taken back in August.

The raging favourite in the early The Metropolitan betting markets at Sportsbet is Gai Waterhouse’s Herculian Prince currently paying $3.70 to win.

The five-year-old winner of the Kingston Town Stakes will race again this Saturday in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m), another victory certain to shorten his quote for The Metropolitan.

2010 The Metropolitan Betting Odds

• Herculian Prince ($3.70)
• Descarado ($11)
• Triple Honour ($11)
• Purple ($11)
• Mr Charlie ($12)
• Monaco Consul ($13)
• Hawk Island ($13)

For full market and updated odds visit [sportsbet]

The 2010 The Metropolitan final field of acceptances will be released next Wednesday September 29, the list of horses published right here along with their form so bookmark this page.

The 2010 The Metropolitan is one of seven Group status races scheduled to take place on Epsom Handicap Day, making the meeting a favourite with punters and racing purists around the nation.

Other headline races on the day include the $500,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m), $400,000 Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).

Now is the time to check out the great The Metropolitan betting markets at [sportsbet], where punters get a better price every time!

2010 The Metropolitan Nominations

#	Horse	Trainer	Ballot	Weight (kg)	Hcp. Rating
1	METAL BENDER (NZ)	Chris Waller	=1	59.5	116
2	ZIPPING	Robert Hickmott	=1	59.5	116
3	ALANDI (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	3	59	115
4	TRIPLE HONOUR (NZ)	Chris Waller	4	58.5	114
5	FIUMICINO (NZ)	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	5	56	109
6	BUCCELLATI (GB)	Tony Noonan	=6	55.5	108
7	C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	=6	55.5	108
8	LA ROCKET	Dale Sutton	=9	55	107
9	NO WINE NO SONG	Kevin Moses	=9	55	107
10	SPEED GIFTED (GB)	Lee Freedman	=9	55	107
11	DESCARADO (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse	=12	54.5	106
12	MONACO CONSUL (NZ)	Michael Moroney	=12	54.5	106
13	LARGO LAD	David Hayes	14	54	105
14	PURPLE	Peter Snowden	=6	53.5	108
15	HERCULIAN PRINCE (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse	=15	53.5	104
16	HISSING SID	Bill & Symon Wilde	=15	53.5	104
17	MOURAYAN (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	=15	53.5	104
18	FANJURA (IRE)	Lee Freedman	=18	53	103
19	HAWK ISLAND (IRE)	Chris Waller	=18	53	103
20	EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ)	Bart Cummings	20	52.5	102
21	NEWPORT	Paul Perry	=21	52	101
22	SPACECRAFT	Mick Price	=21	52	101
23	RUN FOR NAARA	John P Thompson	=23	52	100
24	SNOW ALERT	Chris Waller	=23	52	100
25	GORKY PARK (NZ)	David Hayes	25	52	99
26	LINTON	Robert Hickmott	26	52	98
27	BASALTICO (IRE)	Bill & Symon Wilde	=27	52	96
28	EMBLEM OF LIBERTY (SAF)	Darren Weir	=27	52	96
29	FAIRYGEM (NZ)	Peter G Moody	=27	52	96
30	RAIHANA	David Payne	=27	52	96
31	SHAMOLINE WARRIOR	Mark Kavanagh	=27	52	96
32	EXTRA ZERO	David Hayes	=32	52	95
33	GRAND DUCAL (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	=32	52	95
34	SCOUTING WIDE (NZ)	Tim Martin	=32	52	95
35	THE MINIVER ROSE (IRE)	Mick Price	=32	52	95
36	COUNT ENCOSTA	John P Thompson	=36	52	93
37	TWIN WING (NZ)	Guy Walter	=36	52	93
38	APPREHEND	Tony Vasil	=38	52	92
39	CRABS (NZ)	Chris Hyland	=38	52	92
40	IMPOSING (GB)	Robert Hickmott	=38	52	92
41	MR CHARLIE (NZ)	Peter G Moody	=38	52	92
42	CHARTREUX	David Hayes	=42	52	91
43	GET UP JUDE	Kevin Moses	=42	52	91
44	THE EMBASSY (NZ)	Chris Waller	=42	52	91
45	AKZAR (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	=45	52	90
46	DELTONA	Kevin Moses	=45	52	90
47	INDIKATOR (NZ)	Keith Opie	=45	52	90
48	BERLIOZ (NZ)	David Hayes	48	52	88
49	NOTHIN’ LEICA CAT (NZ)	Anthony Cummings	49	52	87
50	GIGINO (NZ)	Chris Waller	=50	52	85
51	GOTTA KEEP COOL	Darren Weir	=50	52	85
52	FROZONE (NZ)	Alan Bailey	=52	52	84
53	JUNGLE ROCKET (NZ)	Chris Waller	=52	52	84
54	MUIR (GB)	Robert Hickmott	=52	52	84
55	MACEDONIAN (NZ)	Peter G Moody	55	52	82
56	OUR CANNAVARO (NZ)	Chris Waller	=56	52	81
57	TOKEN OF HONOUR	David Hayes	=56	52	81
58	FAIRFIELD FLAME (GER)	Michael Moroney	=58	52	80
59	MY BENTLEY (NZ)	Michael Kent	=58	52	80
60	NITONIC	Colette Cooper	=58	52	80
61	PRIX DU SANG	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	=61	52	79
62	RUNDLE	Robert Hickmott	=61	52	79
63	LEGSMAN (NZ)	John O’Shea	=63	52	78
64	MARTIAL LAW (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	=63	52	78
65	STAR RIPPER	Bart Cummings	=63	52	78
66	CARNEGIE HOUSE	Anthony Cummings	66	52	77
67	INTERLOCKING (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	=67	52	76
68	OUR ROCKHAMPTON (IRE)	Robert Hickmott	=67	52	76
69	SAINT ENCOSTA	John P Thompson	=67	52	76
70	STILLMAN (USA)	Robert Hickmott	=67	52	76
71	THE ZEEBAC	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	=67	52	76
72	JOE BLOW	Bart Cummings	=72	52	75
73	SHADOW MINISTER	Garry White	=72	52	75
74	LANDLOCKED (NZ)	Anthony Cummings	74	52	74
75	MALUCKYDAY (NZ)	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	75	52	73
76	LANDLORD	Bart Cummings	=76	52	72
77	PAY AND PLAY	Chris Waller	=76	52	72
78	SHERPA TENZING (NZ)	Jim Conlan	=76	52	72
79	TRIUMPHANT CHOICE	Peter G Moody	=76	52	72
80	VESPER	Robert Hickmott	=76	52	72
81	BASE (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	=81	52	71
82	GALLANT LADY	Lee Freedman	=81	52	71
83	SMOKIN’ GUN (NZ)	John O’Shea	=81	52	71
84	MR EDISON	Bart Cummings	=84	52	70
85	NAADJI (NZ)	Bevan & Richard Laming	=84	52	70
86	OUR ARISTOCRAT (GB)	Robert Hickmott	=84	52	70
87	BILLSON	Robert Hickmott	87	52	69
88	MISS ALIA (NZ)	Pat Hyland	=88	52	68
89	ZABDUED (NZ)	Bart Cummings	=88	52	68
90	IREL (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	90	52	67
91	BARON	Robert Hickmott	=91	52	66
92	HOME ON A WING	Anthony Cummings	=91	52	66
93	TULLAMORE (NZ)	Gai Waterhouse	=91	52	66
94	BOLTON (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	=94	52	64
95	NOTHINGBUTTHETRUTH	Michael Moroney	=94	52	64
96	DAAD’S OVERTIME (NZ)	Guy Walter	96	52	62
97	INDITE (NZ)	Robert Hickmott	97	52	61
98	REIGNING RHYTHM	Gary Portelli	98	52	58
99	REFUSE ME	Kerry Parker	99	52	51