Racing NSW defends stand on Metropolitan despite loss of group 1 status

Racing NSW acting chief executive Graeme Hinton has defended the regulator’s decision not to change the conditions of The Metropolitan in a bid to save its group 1 status, saying that retaining it as a feature staying handicap was more important.

The Asian Racing Federation (ARF), which took control of Australia’s race grading system in December after a decade-long impasse between the states, announced late on Thursday that the Metropolitan, a principal or group 1 race since it was first held in 1866 as the Great Metropolitan Stakes, would be downgraded to a group 2 from this year.

The ARF said the $750,000 race, set down for October 3 at Randwick, had failed to meet the ratings parameters for the past three seasons and was considered for a downgrade by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC) during its review in July. The APC considered a submission from Racing Australia, which included a proposal from Racing NSW, to change the race conditions of the Metropolitan.

The APC kept the race at group 1 level for season 2026-27, on the condition those changes were made, but Racing NSW then decided to keep the race as it is, prompting Thursday’s announcement.

It is believed increased prizemoney and a switch from handicap to set weights and penalties conditions were considered in an attempt to attract stronger fields. Royal Supremacy, Land Legend and Just Fine have been the most recent winners of the Metropolitan, which are the trio’s only group 1 successes.

“We have always said that all races should be judged on their merits,” Hinton said. “Whether that means they are upgraded or downgraded, that is what the guidelines dictate.

“Whilst we could have looked to change the handicap conditions of the race to try and achieve a higher rating, this would have fundamentally changed what the Metropolitan race is. Retaining its place as a feature staying handicap was the most important objective.”

The Australian Jockey Club changed the race to set weights and penalties in 1995 but reverted to handicap conditions after 1999.

Meanwhile, Warwick Farm trainer Matt Smith is looking at targets for Portland and promising stayer Aethelwulf, which steps up to Saturday grade at Rosehill.

Aethelwulf, $15 in TAB markets for the Metropolitan, is a $1.50 favourite for race three on Saturday, a 2000m benchmark 78 handicap after three wins in four starts this preparation, including a five-length victory last start over 1900m at Canterbury in his first city test.

Smith is wary of going too deep into the spring with the four-year-old gelding and said the group 3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) on September 18 was a more likely target than the Metropolitan.

“He’s only lightly raced, and I don’t want to beat him up this prep,” Smith said. “I’ll just have to see how he goes. He might go to the Newcastle Cup, if he happens to win tomorrow and he was impressive.”

Smith said Aethelwulf, which has had just five starts, was a “backward yearling” and had needed time to mature.

“Based on his last win, he’s going to be winning, but they have to come out and do it,” Smith said. “And young horses, they are probably not as consistent as seasoned horses.”

Smith had hoped to take Lord Mayor’s Cup winner Portland to the Metropolitan before a Melbourne campaign, but is now unsure when he will resume after a virus hampered his preparation.

In other news, part-owners Arrowfield announced on Friday that Australian horse of the year Autumn Glow would not chase the $20 million Everest.

Autumn Glow, which cruised to victory in the 1400m group 1 Winx Stakes last Saturday, was seen as the biggest threat to defending champion Ka Ying Rising if connections went after the October 17 sprint.

However, after a meeting with trainer Chris Waller and jockey James McDonald, the John Messara-owned Arrowfield posted online that the five-year-old mare would target mile races the 7 Stakes and King Charles III Stakes at Randwick before a Flemington event in Melbourne Cup week.

Guest House may be vulnerable: Magnier

Trainer Mick Price warns Golden Slipper winner Guest House may be vulnerable first up over 1100m on Saturday in the San Domenico Stakes at Rosehill.

And while owner and Coolmore Australia boss Tom Magnier wants to see his stallion prospect run well, he is in no hurry to lock him in for his stud’s Everest slot.

Coolmore paid a reported $30 million for the Home Affairs colt after his Slipper win and leased him back to his original owners to race on before his stud career.

Guest House looms as a likely choice for Coolmore’s slot in the $20 million Everest on October 17 as it looks to build on its investment. No rivals have been locked in to take on defending champion Ka Ying Rising, and Autumn Glow, the shortest-priced challenger to the Hong Kong superstar, bowed out of calculations on Friday.

Magnier has kept a close eye on Guest House’s preparations but said a decision on the Everest was unlikely after one run.

“Obviously we’re very happy so far, but we’ll learn a lot on Saturday,” Magnier said.

“All things are on the table, but I guess we’ll just see how he goes over the next couple of weeks. There’s no decisions made yet, and no decisions will be made for a while yet.”

Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent jnr, said Guest House has had “a pretty faultless prep”, but the goal was to peak in the 1400m Golden Rose third up.

“He is a bigger, stronger horse than when he ran in the Slipper,” Price said.

“I think he’s about 15 kilos more than he was in the Slipper, so he should have a good prep in front of him. He doesn’t carry any excess fat, he’s just a big, strong type.

“I haven’t got him in to win first up at all costs or anything. There’s three races we want to have him peaking in – the Golden Rose, hopefully the Everest, then the Coolmore. I’m using two races to get him there, so he’ll run here and in the Run to the Rose.

“His trials have been good, and I think the race sets up pretty good for him. Drawn seven of eight and there should be some tempo on. He might be a little bit vulnerable at the 1100m with these horses, which kick and keep running, but look for him to be running on late and train on from there.”