• Top 3 – No. 9 Soul Of Spain
• Top 4 – No. 4 Changingoftheguard
• Top 4 – No. 11 Piggyback

SOUL OF SPAIN (10) is the new favourite in one of the most open editions of The Metrop in recent years and I’m happy to follow the money on this flying Chris Waller trained improver. He’s been excellent quickly rising through the ranks and now chases win number five on the trot. The progressive five-year-old won back-to-back races in easier company in Queensland including an impressive three-length romp home over 2020m at Doomben with 53kg before rising to Group 3 grade and saluting in the Newcastle Gold Cup. He was strong with 54kg over the 2300m and will relish the mile and a half now boasting winning form in Europe over two miles and further. Zac Lloyd is going great guns and sticks in the saddle with the horse set to fly back in the weights to just 50.5kg. Really hard to knock a horse in this sort of form even going up to Group 1 level for the first time. Set to settle midfield and will outstay a lot of these late.

CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (8) comes in confident off a lead-up win over the track and trip when carting a hefty 59kg to an impressive nearly one-length Listed Tatt’s Cup win. He comes back to a more favourable 54.5kg now and presents fit third-up. Previous in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality here last September he ran second with 58kg behind First Light and he looks to have come on even better this time in. Ethan Brown makes a good replacement for J-Mac who is in Melbourne on Saturday, and I think this horse will put himself in the mix.

PIGGYBACK (13) is at a big price to make it a hat-trick and while I don’t think she’ll be the winner, this Ciaron Maher trained Trapeze Artist mare certainly has Top 4 claims at a price. She’s on the quick back-up after a win in the Colin Stephen over 2400m at Rosehill last weekend where she out toughed her better fancied stablemate Juja Kibo with 55.5kg. Exempt from penalty her 50kg lightweight puts her right in the frame if she can get into position from wider out.