There are two major drawcards on the Epsom Handicap Day race-card at Randwick today, the first of which will jump as Race 7 at 3:30pm when the $400,000 Group 1 Daily Telegraph Metropolitan (2400m) takes place.

An elite field of 12 champions will contest the 2010 The Metropolitan following yesterday’s scratching of #8 Crabs.

The current favourite to win today’s showdown is Mr Charlie, paying $3.70 at Sportsbet.

The Peter Moody-trained Mr Charlie is an up-and-coming Kiwi galloper that took out the New Zealand St Leger back in March before winning their Australia debut over 1700m at Flemington earlier this month.

Mr Charlie is heading towards the 2010 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and is due to jump from barrier nine with Luke Nolen aboard in The Metropolitan.

But the Races.com.au favourite to win The Metropolitan is Gai Waterhouse’s Herculian Prince, a better value pick at $4.40 through Sportsbet.

Randwick – Race 7 – Daily Telegraph Metropolitan

• Odds-on Favourite: #9 Mr Charlie at $3.70 [sportsbet]
• Races.com.au Favourite: #2 Herculian Prince – Rated Special to Win at $4.40 [sportsbet]
• Best Place Chances: #2 No Wine No Song & #9 Mr Charlie at [sportsbet]

Herculian Prince won the Kingston Town Stakes at the start of the month but then finished last, the beaten favourite in the Colin Stephen Quality Handicap last weekend.

His last start failure has seen the punters shy away from him in The Metropolitan betting, but drawn better than the favourite in barrier six we expect Herculian Prince to return to form and win today.

The best horses to put down as a Place bet at Sportsbet are upset winner of the Colin Stephen last start No Wine No Song drawn ideally on the rails and the odds-on favourite Mr Charlie.

For punters wanting to increase their chances of winning big off their The Metropolitan betting today, try a Trifecta at Sportsbet with Herculian Prince and our top two Place chances.

Read our comprehensive 2010 The Metropolitan Field & Betting Preview and then head over to [sportsbet] to place your wagers at the hottest prices in Australia!

Metropolitan Field & Form

No	Form	Horse Name	Handicap	B	Age & Sex	Jockey	Trainer	Career
1	328X0841	No Wine No Song	57.0	1	9G	JACassidy	K Moses	56-10-11
2	111X9315	Herculian Prince	55.5	6	5G	NRawiller	Ms G Waterho	15-8-3
3	-5X0X009	Mourayan	55.5	12	5H	MRodd	Robert Hickm	13-2-5
4	51311114	Hawk Island	55.0	11	6G	GSchofield	C Waller	27-8-7
5	9834X900	Newport	54.0	13	8G	CNewitt	P M Perry	60-9-8
6	6111X777	Count Encosta	54.0	4	4G	BShinn	John Thompso	10-3-1
7	559X0572	Get Up Jude	54.0	7	7G	TClark	K Moses	30-6-5
8	73271111	Crabs	54.0	8	7G	JDHill	C F Hyland	50-10-13
9	1-2-1X15	Mr Charlie	54.0	9	5H	LNolen	P Moody	13-4-5
10	313X3075	Macedonian	54.0	3	5G	CBrown	P Moody	14-3-4
11	78504X63	Prix Du Sang	54.0	10	5M	JAdams	M W & J Hawk	22-3-6
12	0598X162	Saint Encosta	54.0	5	4G	CraigWilliam	John Thompso	13-1-4
13	5107X115	Landlocked	54.0	2	4H	JFord	A J Cummings	9-3-0