BANDIT’S METROP HOPES REST ON MANY RANDWICK SCRATCHINGS

TALENTED Kembla Grange stayer Flying Bandit’s Metropolitan hopes will be dashed if he can’t secure a start at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer Kerry Parker targeted the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at the weekend as the Wagga Cup winner’s lead-up to the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on October 4.

However, with the rail out 7m from the 1600m to the winning post and 4m for the remainder of the track, no more than 14 horses can contest the Kingston Town.

Flying Bandit (Jay Ford) was made the sixth and final emergency.

“It was always on the cards once I saw there were 34 entries for the race,” Parker said this afternoon.

“Flying Bandit was equal 25^th in order of entry.

“I’m hoping of course, but it’s unlikely there will be enough scratchings for him to get into the field.

“He won’t go to The Metropolitan if he can’t run on Saturday.”

Flying Bandit, who has won six of his 14 starts, resumed with an eye-catching sixth (after an interrupted passage in the straight) to Shohisha in a Benchmark 94 Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 6.

If, as Parker expects, Flying Bandit misses out on a Kingston Town run, he will look to freshen the gelding for a crack at the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 8.

There is a Listed Prelude (1500m), worth $1m, to the race at Randwick a fortnight earlier on October 25.

There is no doubt about Flying Bandit’s stablemate Well Timed getting a start at Randwick on Saturday.

With 61.5kg and Nash Rawiller again on board, the five-year-old will carry the No 3 saddlecloth in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m).

Rawiller partnered Well Timed in his tough first-up victory at Randwick on September 6 in a similar race over 1200m, with 2.5kg less.

“Well Timed has trained on well,” Parker said. “I’m very happy with him.”

Parker nominated Well Timed for the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 4, but said it was most unlikely he would run.

Well Timed has raced seven times at Randwick for three wins and two placings.

. Meanwhile, Newcastle Jockey Club has capacity fields for two of its three Group 3 features at Broadmeadow on Friday.

The $250,000 Cameron Handicap (1500m) has 16 acceptors plus four emergencies, whilst there are three withdrawals from the $250,000 Tibbie Stakes (1400m), but 16 can still run with one emergency (Tulieries).

Team Hawkes’ Swiftfalcon (Tyler Schiller) is a $4.20 favorite for the Cameron, whilst Ciaron Maher’s It’s A Knockout (Tim Clark) heads Tibbie betting at $3.80.

Whilst the Cameron and Tibbie attracted big fields, only 11 horses were accepted for the $300,000 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) – and two of them (Mezhebeen and Don Diego De Vega) also are acceptors for Saturday’s Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick.

Sydney’s champion trainer Chris Waller, who has won four of the last seven runnings of the Cup (Carzoff in 2018, Great House in 2021, subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Durston in 2022 and Etna Rosso last year), is favored to continue his dominance.

Waller’s pair Travolta ($2.70) and Soul Of Spain ($2.90) head early betting, with Australian Bloodstock-raced Royal Supremacy ($4.60) the only other horse under double figures.

Story John Curtis, September 17, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos