Battle of the Stayers in Metropolitan

BATTLE OF THE STAYERS IN METROPOLITAN 
The Metropolitan is the most prestigious stayers race of the Sydney spring carnival, and with automatic berths into the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 Melbourne Cup on the line for the winner and placegetters, this will be a highly competitive contest. Shouldering top weight are Junoob (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) and Bagman (Aus) (Easy Rocking {Aus}). The former had a productive autumn/winter campaign, winning four of nine starts and placing three times, and he warmed up for this with a victory in the G2 Hill S. Sept. 20. Four-time stakes winner Bagman has been in good form this season, having won his first two outings at the handicap level and finished third in the G2 Chelmsford S. and the Hill. He holds distance queries, however, having never been beyond 2040 meters. 
European imports Spillway (GB) (Rail Link {GB}) and Opinion (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) are worth a look. Spillway acquainted himself with the Aussie turf when winning last season’s G3 Japan Racing Association Plate in his third start Down Under in April, and he appears to be training on this prep, having finished second in the G2 P B Lawrence S. Aug. 16 and fourth in the G1 Makybe Diva S. Sept. 13. He was seventh after meeting traffic trouble in the G3 Naturalism S. Sept. 20. Opinion won last year’s Duke of Edinburgh H. at Royal Ascot before being sent Down Under by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing. He won last season’s Listed Parramatta Cup and finished second in the G1 Sydney Cup. 
Looking at those that could sneak in with lower weights, British stakes winner Disclaimer (GB) (Dansili {GB}) gets a six-pound break from the top weights and most recently won the G3 Newcastle Cup two weeks ago. Second that day was Team Valor’s Brigantin (Cozzene), who gave Disclaimer nine pounds but today runs on equal terms. Wish Come True (Aus) (Aussie Rules) put in a huge effort to be third in the Newcastle under 125 pounds, and he also gets in lighter here.