The AJC Metropolitan Handicap is a Gr 1 Australian horse race
run at open handicap conditions in early October each year by
three-year-old thoroughbreds and older over 2400m at Randwick
Racecourse in Sydney. With a purse of AUD$600,000, this is one of
the feature races of the annual Sydney Spring Carnival.
Inaugurated over 140 years ago, the AJC Metropolitan Handicap is one
of the most prestigious races in Australia. Also known as 'The
Metropolitan' or the 'Metropolitan Handicap', the race is called the
AJC Metropolitan Handicap to avoid confusion with races with the
same name in the U.S. and South Africa.
The AJC Metropolitan Handicap is run on the same day as the equally
prestigious 1600m Epsom Handicap, which is renowned for drawing the
nation's best milers. While since the race's inception, many world
class thoroughbreds have delivered sterling victories, none have
managed to win the coveted Treble.
The Australian Treble consists of the AJC Metropolitan, the 2400m
Caulfield Cup (Gr 1) and the 3200m Melbourne Cup (Gr 1). In the AJC, horses that triumph are usually top handicappers as opposed to
gallopers. Many trainers use the 2000m Kingston Town Stakes (Gr 3)
as a prep race for the AJC Metropolitan.
A notable AJC Metropolitan winner includes 1956 victor, Redcraze, a
superb New Zealand-bred racehorse that won many races across
Australia and New Zealand. In fact, out of 85 starts Redcraze
chalked up 32 wins, 11 second places and 9 third places. 2008
winner, Newport, dazzled under jockey Peter Wells. |
