The Metropolitan (ATC)

This article is about an Australian horse race. For the American horse race, see Metropolitan Handicap.

The Metropolitan

Group 1 race
Denis Boy, 1932 winner
Location	Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia
Inaugurated	1863
Race type	Thoroughbred - flat
Sponsor	McGrath Estate Agents (2016)
Race information
Distance	2,400 metres
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed
Qualification	Horses three years old and older
Weight	Handicap
Purse	A$750,000 (2016)
Bonuses	Winner exemption from a ballot on the Queen Elizabeth Stakes

The Metropolitan is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held under open handicap conditions, for horses aged three years old and older, over a distance of 2,400 metres at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in early October.^[1] The total prize money for this race is A$750,000.

History

The race when first run in 1863 was known as the Great Metropolitan Stakes.^[2] It is one of the main races in the Sydney Spring Carnival held in early October at Randwick Racecourse, along with the Epsom Handicap.^[1] Many great household names have won this race, but none have won the treble of The Metropolitan, Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup. Prior to 2004 the race was run on the first Monday in October, the Labour Day holiday.

Name

• 1863–1888 - Great Metropolitan Stakes
• 1889–1897 - Metropolitan Stakes
• 1898–1978 - Metropolitan Handicap
• 1979 onwards - The Metropolitan

Grade

• 1863–1978 - Principle Race
• 1979 onwards - Group 1

Distance

• 1863–1891 - 2 miles (~3200 metres)
• 1891–1919 - 1 ¹⁄₂ miles (~2400 metres)
• 1920–1971 - 1 ⁵⁄₈ miles (~2600 metres)
• 1972–1982 - 2600 metres
• 1983 - 2400 metres
• 1984–2000 - 2600 metres
• 2001 onwards - 2400 metres

Venue

The race has been the major long distance event in the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival and has been run at Randwick Racecourse, with one exception in 1983 when the race was run at Warwick Farm Racecourse.^[3]

Winners

See also

• List of Australian Group races
• Group races

References