3 minute read
Hot favourite leads strong hand in Sydney staying feature for Gai Waterhouse.
Gai Waterhouse already holds the record for the number of The Metropolitan winners but rarely has the Hall of Fame trainer gone into the Group 1 with as strong a hand as she holds this year.
Not only do Waterhouse and her training partner Adrian Bott have all-in even money favourite, Just Fine, their support cast in the $750,000 2400-metre event comprises two Group 1 winners and a last-start country cup winner.
Just Fine, a six-year-old son of Sea The Stars, has been a revelation since arriving at Tulloch Lodge from Sir Michael Stoute in the UK, making it back-to-back wins to start his Australian career with an easy victory in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) on September 16.
"He's going from strength to strength, he's a very talented stayer, both his wins have been eye-catching and he's ticked over beautifully this week in his work," Waterhouse said.
"He's a rising star and he's lightly weighted and you can't beat those lightweight stayers, can you?
"He's got a lovely turn of foot and he's a really exciting horse. I can understand why they've got him favourite and he should be."
Just Fine will carry just 50kg, at the other end of the scale to stablemate and Sydney Cup-winning topweight Knights Order, who has 57.5kg.
Waterhouse and Bott also have last-start Newcastle Cup winner Military Mission in with 51.5kg, while Major Beel gets to 2400m for the first time since winning the Group 1 ATC Australian Derby in April this year.
Major Beel has had three runs since a break after that win, the best of them a second placing in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) two starts ago, and Waterhouse is adamant he will love the step up in trip.
"This will suit him because he gets to a distance needs to get to, that's what held him back so far," Waterhouse said.
The Metropolitan was the first Group 1 win for Waterhouse, thanks to Te Akau Nick in 1992, while she won five of the seven between 1995 and 2001; Electronic (1995), Hula Flight (1996), In Joyment (1998), Coco Cobanna (2000) and Dress Circle (2001).
Waterhouse has also won with Herculian Prince (2010) and Glencadam Gold (2012).
