On a day filled with photo finishes, double-digit roughie and Kiwi stayer Patrick Erin has won the 2018 Metropolitan (2400m) at Royal Randwick to gift Chris Waller yet another Group 1 winner.
In a large 18 horse field, Patrick Erin moved down the outside to challenge race leader and fellow stablemate Brimham Rocks to stick his nose in front at the line.
Waller was happy with the result, and thinks there could be a Melbourne Cup (3200m) appearance on the horizon after Patrick Erin’s maiden Group 1 win.
“Maybe look at something bigger,” Waller told Sky Racing after the win.
“The St Leger here in two weeks and obviously you’ve got the Cups in Melbourne. Two miles is really going to suit him to hit his peak.”
The stable has reportedly been loving the seven-year old’s prep this Spring, but winning jockey Corey Brown deserves plenty of the credit.
“I thought I settled down mid-field and there wasn’t any speed on paper, so I was just going to play it by ear,” Brown said.
“I settled down fifth or sixth and the speed just kept coming out of the race and I got shuffled back midfield.
“Once the runs appeared in the field with no weight on his back he actually picked up and left really really well.”
Nominated for the Melbourne Cup and the $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) next month, the New Zealand import will be hoping to go on to bigger things next month, something that eluded last year’s winner Foundry, who followed his Metropolitan win with a third placing in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) a month later.
Fortunately Waller sees big things in this old warhorse since acquiring him late last year.
“I could see him, like (Who Shot) The Barman from New Zealand, they’re just tough horses.”
As for fellow import, stablemate and second place-getter Brimham Rocks the road ahead also appears to involve either the Melbourne Cup or the Caulfield Cup.
Full Melbourne Cup odds can be seen below.