Horse Racing

Nominations have been revealed for one of the big spring features this year, with 98 horses nominated for the $350,000 Group One The Metropolitan (2400m).

The Metropolitan Handicap is scheduled to run at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 2.

There are several stars of Australian horseracing dominating the list, namely the Gai Waterhouse-trained Herculian Prince and the Lee Freedman-trained Speed Gifted.

Herculian Prince has also been nominated for the big spring features this season – the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, and is set for great things.

The Yamanin Vital gelding had a strong preparation for the spring, with his first-up jump being the Listed Show County Quality (1200m) on August 21. Herculian Prince ran ninth but is more suited to the longer distances, perfect for The Metropolitan 2010.

Speed Gifted’s last jump resulted in a disappointing 11^th-placed finish in the $2.25 million Group One The BMW (2400m) back in April.

It was a disappointing end to a solid Autumn campaign where the 2009 The Metropolitan winner also finished third in a tough Group One Ranvet Stakes (2000m) field.

Freedman has revealed Speed Gifted will use the Group Two Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) for a first-up jump this spring on September 4.

Other potential stars of The Metropolitan 2010 include stablemate to Herculian Prince Descarado, and the John Thompson-trained Count Encosta.

Descarado recently ran 10^th in the Group Two Warwick Stakes (1400m) as his first-up jump for the spring. Last Autumn the four-year-old had a solid stint, finishing second to Shoot Out in the 2010 Australian Derby, so could be one to watch for The Metropolitan 2010.

The Metropolitan Handicap is scheduled to run at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse on October 2 as part of the Epsom Handicap Day.

Other thrilling races will be the $350,000 Group One Epsom Handicap (1600m), the Group One Flight Stakes (1600m), the Group One Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), The Group Two The Shorts (1100m), the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and the Group Three Craven Plate (2000m).

2010 The Metropolitan Nominations