The Metropolitan Handicap is a prominent fixture in the Sydney Spring Carnival held annually in early October at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse. The field is made up of Australian thoroughbred horses from the age of three and up and takes place over 2,400 metres. As the name suggests, the race takes the form of a handicap event and is held by the Australian Jockey Club (AJC), offering prize money of $350,000. A good insight into the outcome of the race can come from the Group 3 Colin Stephen quality, which is held a week earlier, over the same distance and course.
The Metropolitan’s participants often go on to take part in the highly coveted Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival so is a strong insight into the form for the Caulfield Cup. Being held in a similar format, many horses have gone on from winning the AJC Metropolitan Handicap to take top spot at the Caulfield Cup later in the same year.
The Metropolitan Handicap Information
- Date: October
- Carnival: Randwick Spring Racing Carnival
- Racecourse: Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
- Distance: 2,400 metres
- Race Type: 3YO and over, handicap
- Group Listing: Group 1
- Prize Money: $350,000
The Metropolitan Handicap History
The AJC Metropolitan Handicap first took place in 1863 and was won by Regno. Prior to 1892 the Metro was a principal race which took place over 16 furlongs but then decreased to 12. After increasing the distance to 13 furlongs in 1920, it was changed again to 2,600 metres, and then became a Group 1 event in 1979. Finally, in 2001, the race was decreased by 200 metres, and has since been raced at 2, 400 metres.
The Metropolitan Handicap Records
- Time: 2.27.80 – Hayai (1983)
- Most Times Won By A Jockey: 5 – K. Langby (1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1978)
