The Metropolitan Tips - Land Legend to prevail in wide-open Metropolitain

A capacity field of 18 runners plus four emergencies have accepted for the $750,000 The Metropolitan and the market is wide open with Berkshire Breeze an early scratching with connections opting to stay in Melbourne. 

10 runners come out of the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m). The top three out of that are headed to different targets, including the winner, Eliyass, who goes to the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington. 

Serpentine was 4th in the Kingston Town, going 10.6 lenghts faster than standard benchmark. He led and stuck on to go down by three lengths. Zardozi settled handy and ran 5th. The 2023 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner hasn't quite measured up to open class but gets out to the 2400m. 

There weren't too many eye-catchers out of the Kingston Town Stakes. Land Legend made a few mistakes and just needs to settle better in this race after placing 6th. 

Three runners come up from Melbourne after running in the MRC Foundation Cup (2000m). Future History was a narrow runner-up in that race behind Positivity, going 10.8 lengths faster than standard. Que Tempesta was 6th, while Immedicacy was 7th. The latter was solid late and drops 4kg to the 50kg. 

There is market support for one of the emergencies, Unusual Legacy, who is a Waller galloper that is on the up. He was runner-up in a BenchMark 88 last time when stepping up to the 1900m at Rosehill, going 8.5 lengths faster than standard. 

His stablemate, First Light, is a three-length last start 2400m Rosehill winner at Group 3 level that is down in the weights. Etna Rosso and Wyclif are roughies to consider. That pair produced the exacta in the Newcastle Cup (2350m) recently. 

Banking on Land Legend relaxing a bit better than what he did in the recent Kingston Town Stakes. That race looks the form reference for mine and the Waller import should be at his best stepping up to the 2400m, as evidenced by his strong win at his first Australian run last year, which came in the St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick. The son of Galileo drops 4kg from his Kingston Town Stakes run and should find a nice spot in the run from barrier 6. 

Serpentine is a likely leader and usually provides a solid contest, particularly early on in his preparations. He led at an even tempo in the Kingston Town Stakes and stuck on in ok fashion to land just over three lenghts away at the finish. The eight-year-old in the Williams colours was a winner when second up at his last preparation and improved on benchmark figures at his three runs when second up prior to that. Tim Clark rides and shouldnt have to work too hard early on from the wide barrier with the majority of the rivals opting to head back. The pair can stick on late in the piece.