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Ace horseman Chris Waller chases his seventh win in the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) this spring with a bumper 21 from the stable among the official nominations taken on Tuesday.
Racing NSW has now released the early entries for all three elite-levels on the Randwick Epsom Handicap Day card for October 4 including those for the 2025 The Metropolitan.
A key lead-up into the Spring Cup majors in Melbourne, The Metropolitan Handicap has been won by many top long-distance stars over the years including Magic Hurricane (2015), Railings (2005), Ming Dynasty (1978) and Redcraze (1956).
2025 The Metropolitan Nominations: Quick Glance
- 79 total nominations taken
- 21 entries for Chris Waller chasing his seventh win
- Birdman outright $8 favourite for Waller through Ladbrokes.com.au
- Defending champion Land Legend at a current all-in price of $11 to go back-to-back
- Last year’s runner-up Zardozi at $19 to go one better in 2025
- 5 entries for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott including Vauban as Waterhouse chases her record extending 10th victory
This year the event attracted 79 stayers with updated all-in markets at Ladbrokes.com.au led by the Waller trained Birdman at $8.
Waller has prepared six previous The Metropolitan champions including most recently Land Legend last year.
Free Eagle five-year-old Birdman is considered his best early shot at back-to-back The Metrop trophies despite the European import being winless down under so far.
The horse has had two runs already this prep with the latest seeing him run fifth to stablemate Lindermann in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) last weekend with improvement expected as he gets out further in trip.
Waller’s reigning The Metropolitan champion Land Legend also features in the entries to defend his title in 2025 and become the first dual winner since Hayai (1983-84).
Despite history being against him, Galileo chestnut Land Legend is one of the best in futures The Metropolitan betting at $11.
Waller’s other early standout at $13 is the progressive and in-form Soul Of Spain who has winning form up to 3319m overseas and who made it three Australian wins on the trot with an easy win as the odds-on fancy in Brisbane last weekend.
Following Birdman in the markets the other current single figure fancy at $9 is Half Yours for Tony & Calvin McEvoy.
The St Jean gelding is an emerging stayer the bookies are taking no chances with despite the recent Caloundra Cup winner being untested in Group company to date.
Vauban ($11) is the other early The Metropolitan favourite for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott.
Waterhouse holds the record with nine The Metropolitan winners as of 2024, the latest of which was Just Fine in partnership with Bott in 2023.
Vauban, who has twice burned punters in the Melbourne Cup with unplaced runs as a then European trained raider the past two years, is now settled down under with his new team and made an eye-catching spring kickoff when third in the Chelmsford.
Fellow Melbourne Cup nominated Alalcance ($13) is the other best for the Waterhouse/Bott yard with the grey mare having been brave when sixth in the Listed Wyong Gold Cup with 61kg on her back last Friday.
The team also have eye-catching Chelmsford Stakes runner-up Sir Delius ($15) and 2400m specialist Elamaz ($15) in the mix.
Bjorn Baker‘s Sydney Cup winner Arapaho ($15) who ran third in the Winx Stakes before a Chelmsford sixth and the Ciaron Maher trained Wyong Prelude winner Royal Supremacy ($15) are other notable entries.
Historically, The Metropolitan favours seasoned stayers aged five and older, often coming off strong runs in the Kingston Town Stakes, Colin Stephen Quality, or Newcastle Gold Cup. Only three favourites have won in the past two decades, making it a race ripe for upsets.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x90x404x88 | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | |
| 2 | x651540x37 | AGE OF SAIL (GB) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 87 |
| 3 | 122x1110x6 | ALALCANCE (GB) | M | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 111 |
| 4 | x1x139x0x6 | ANISETTE (GB) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 111 |
| 5 | 4x00x80020 | ANTRIM COAST (NZ) | G | 5 | Steve Richards | |
| 6 | 1x55241x36 | ARAPAHO (FR) | G | 9 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 7 | 914x7650x0 | ASTERIX (NZ) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 8 | 1x782959x0 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | G | 7 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 101 |
| 9 | 64211372×0 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 10 | 84112×9202 | BELVEDERE BOYS | G | 6 | Matthew Dunn | 95 |
| 11 | 0x42529x25 | BIRDMAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 12 | 6x07344x74 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 13 | 231x721x72 | BUR DUBAI (GB) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 78 |
| 14 | 33x742x821 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 106 |
| 15 | 2122x310x | CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE) | G | 5 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 16 | 00x80x48x4 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 99 |
| 17 | 0x009242x0 | CONVERGE | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 98 |
| 18 | 1225326×0 | DEEP FOCUS (NZ) | G | 4 | Paul Shailer | |
| 19 | 1x70x4541x | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | G | 6 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 93 |
| 20 | 21x1112x1x | ELAMAZ (IRE) | G | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 104 |
| 21 | 1x8370x615 | ENCODER | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | |
| 22 | x0698222x0 | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 96 |
| 23 | x5121213x7 | FERNAO (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 24 | 11x31417x6 | FLYING BANDIT | G | 5 | Kerry Parker | 93 |
| 25 | 0x5x760326 | FORGOT YOU (NZ) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 95 |
| 26 | x4117x4x80 | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 27 | 423185291x | GALILAEUS (GB) | G | 6 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 28 | 00×5013323 | GLORY DAZE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 95 |
| 29 | 14502346×7 | GOD’S WINDOW (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 88 |
| 30 | 2248377×32 | GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 31 | 533×476123 | GOOD BANTER (NZ) | M | 5 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 88 |
| 32 | 4321253×08 | GRAND PIERRO | G | 6 | Jason Warren | |
| 33 | 117×211215 | HALF YOURS | G | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | 95 |
| 34 | 5631131×06 | HUTCHENCE (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 81 |
| 35 | 68×8586214 | INDIFFERENCE | G | 7 | Brett Cavanough | |
| 36 | 86202763×0 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 37 | 91x6x23116 | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 77 |
| 38 | 42111x70x0 | KADAVAR (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 92 |
| 39 | 2131210×42 | KINGS VALLEY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 40 | 138x768x39 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 106 |
| 41 | x513100x99 | LASPIRIT DEELER | M | 5 | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 70 |
| 42 | 11x90317x0 | MEHZEBEEN (NZ) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 103 |
| 43 | 28x50x12x0 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 44 | 3400×76213 | MORMONA (FR) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 45 | 6x423142x0 | MR MONACO (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 46 | 1343122323 | MUKTAMIL (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 86 |
| 47 | x63646x47x | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 99 |
| 48 | 3230111×78 | NEWLOOK (FR) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 49 | 56x51x17 | NKOSI | G | 4 | Bjorn Baker | 68 |
| 50 | 366×43 | NORTH TERRACE | G | 5 | Edward Cummings | |
| 51 | 4x111140x0 | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | 99 |
| 52 | x865839x53 | OUR GOLD HOPE | M | 5 | Robert & Luke Price | 96 |
| 53 | 21x0x32041 | PARADISE STORM (FR) | G | 5 | Henry Dwyer | |
| 54 | 56×1334341 | PIGGYBACK | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 80 |
| 55 | 8x4x8x112x | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 56 | 8x460x8x8x | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 57 | 12110x322x | QUIETNESS (GB) | M | 6 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 93 |
| 58 | 31342x73x7 | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 59 | x3232x0011 | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 94 |
| 60 | 78×2 | SHADASHI | M | 4 | Edward Cummings | |
| 61 | 113x28x1x2 | SIR DELIUS (GB) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 62 | 51311598×1 | SON OF SUN (NZ) | G | 6 | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | |
| 63 | 413x731x11 | SOUL OF SPAIN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 64 | x0x0000x80 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 65 | 06360405×4 | STRATHTAY (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 88 |
| 66 | 1x21642x70 | SUN ’N’ SAND | M | 4 | Barbara Joseph, Paul & Matt Jones | 88 |
| 67 | 241120×465 | TAJANIS (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 91 |
| 68 | 71×4213 | TAZIMA (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 72 |
| 69 | 2316120×7 | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 70 | x76x171212 | TRAVOLTA (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 92 |
| 71 | 44064800×7 | TRUST IN YOU (NZ) | G | 7 | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | |
| 72 | 090x0693x0 | VALIANT KING (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 93 |
| 73 | 3120x130x3 | VAUBAN (FR) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 74 | x631103x85 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 6 | Glen Thompson | |
| 75 | 1212x75x85 | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 93 |
| 76 | 38×4212551 | WUDDZZ (NZ) | G | 8 | Henry Dwyer | 73 |
| 77 | 28220×0056 | WYCLIF (GB) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 96 |
| 78 | 1117x908x0 | WYMARK (NZ) | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | 85 |
| 79 | 54x83230x5 | ZARDOZI | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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