Following the proven path into the Group 1 The Metropolitan Saturday week at Royal Randwick looks likely for the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Colin Stephen Quality winner Stampede.

Stampede is likely to run in The Metropolitan 2019 after winning the Colin Stephen Quality. Photo: Steve Hart.

Runner-up in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) behind 2018 Melbourne Cup fourth placegetter Finche, High Chaparral seven-year-old Stampede performed brilliantly on the quick back-up into the Group 3 $160,000 JRA Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) at Rosehill on Golden Rose Stakes Day.

Jockey Adam Hyeronimus admitted he had his doubts on the entire who was stepping up over the mile and a half distance for the first time carrying the 59kg top-weight in the Colin Stephen Quality field.

Stampede revved up from the outside barrier to take the early lead, the horse too good for his rivals going all-the-way to beat home the fast-finishing Master Of Arts with Maurus in third.

The front-runner got a soft lead and travelled strongly before hitting the button a mile and a half from home.

“He’s a pretty relaxed horse, the question was the distance with the weight,” Hyeronimus said post-win.

“I wanted to lead, he goes better when he leads, he just relaxes so well.

“It’s funny I feel like I’m going slow, I probably was, but he doesn’t touch the bridle at all, such a pleasant horse to ride.

“It was good to see him get the job done today, he’s been racing well, I had my doubts over 2400m, but that is what Gai [Waterhouse] does best, she proves everyone wrong, she’s the master.”

The obvious next-up option for Stampede would be to race him on the short seven day turnaround again in the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) chasing a double last completed by Railings (2005).

“I’m not sure whether that’s the way he heads,” Hyeronimus said of The Metropolitan 2019 target.

“He’s in fantastic form and he’s racing well so whenever he goes he’s going to be competitive.”

Co-trainer Bott however said that while running Stampede three times in as many weeks was not ideal, The Metropolitan would be hard to pass on.

“That was probably aided by a well rated ride by Adam today,” he said.

“He got into a nice rhythm, was able to get all the favours in front and rated him beautifully so was able to pick up when he needed to and show a good turn of foot over the trip so pleasing to see.

“Adam gets on with him so well when he can just get out there and rate him kindly.

“We know he’s got that turn of speed and now that we can see him stay that trip we’ve got a few more options going forward.

“We’ll leave that [The Metroplitan] open without committing to it just yet.

“It would mean going three weeks in a row but when he’s racing like that it’s hard to ignore it.

“It’s been a proven path so it would be hard to pass.”

Waterhouse has an outstanding record in The Metropolitan winning the race a record eight times, most recently with Glencadam Gold (2012).

2019 Colin Stephen Quality Results & Finishing Order