The first lady of the Australian turf, Gai Waterhouse is chasing her fifth win in the 2018  Group 1 $750,000 Heineken 3 Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday with tough staying mare Sedanzer.

Sedanzer, above, has drawn a favourable barrier in the 2018 Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Waterhouse won the premier Sydney staying race of the Sydney Spring Carnival with Coco Cobanna (2000), Dress Circle (2001), Herculian Prince (2010) and Glencadam Gold (2012) and this year will team up with co-trainer Adrian Bott with Sedanzer.

Sedanzer has drawn barrier five in the capacity eighteen horse field plus one emergency and will be ridden again by regular partner Tim Clark who rode the mare to victory in the Group 2 $300,000 Pages Hire Brisbane Cup (2200m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

The five year old mare has had two runs back from a short ease up for a first up fourth to Unforgotten in the Group 2 $250,000 Bisley Workwear Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 1 followed by an eleventh to Avilius in the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Real Estate Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick a fortnight later.

Co-trainer Adrian Bott said that he was willing to forgive Sedanzer her last start unplaced effort, blaming a wide barrier for the poor effort.

The Sebring mare has drawn a lot better this week and Bott said that he could se her getting a better run in transit than she was able to obtain in the Kingston Town Stakes.

“She has got a much favourable draw. Last start from the wide alley we just had to go back, a bit further back than we would like to and was forced to make a long sustained run which didn’t suit her,” Bott said.

“With that kind of draw today she is going to be a lot closer than we were last start.”

“She is probably one of the most genuine mares we have got in the stable. She gives it all every time.”

“Second up she probably just raced a little bit flat from that first up run which I thought was an enormous run.”

“Stretching out in trip now I think she is really looking for it.”

The top weight Auvray will have to carry 57kg with Tye Angland sticking with the eight year old after he ran a courageous race with 59.5kg on his back when second to Carzoff in the Group 3 $200,000 Sharp Electronics Group Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) at Newcastle on September 14.

Premiership winning trained Chris Waller will saddle up eight of the eighteen runners in the Metropolitan with several international imports among his contingent.

Waller’s runners are Libran (barrier 16), Patrick Erin (4), Alward (1), Brimham Rocks (15), The Lord Mayor (7), High Bridge (3), Opposition (19) and Jake’s Hill (11).

Final field for the 2018 Metropolitan (2400m)