Chris Waller’s Group 1 winning mares Unforgotten and Egg Tart spearhead the leading stables nominations for the 2018 Group 1 $750,000 Heineken 3 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on September 29.

Unforgotten, above, is among trainer Chris Waller's nominations for the 2018 The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Unforgotten, above, is among trainer Chris Waller’s nominations for the 2018 The Metropolitan at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Unforgotten and Egg Tart are two of seventeen Waller trained gallopers that go to make up the 81 nominations for the Sydney Spring Carnival’s feature staying race.

Unforgotten was the winner of the Group 1 $1m James Boag’s Premium Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival and the four year old mare returned to the winner’s stall with a very impressive victory in the Group 2 $250,000 Bisley Workwear Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday.

Five year old mare Egg Tart has had patchy form since her three year old season and her only win since claiming her second Oaks trophy in the Group 1 $500,000 Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Doomben during the 2017 Brisbane Winter Carnival was when she returned to Queensland this Winter to take out the Group 2 $200,000 Bradford Access Insulation P.J. O’Shea Stakes (2200m) at the Sunshine Coast.

Waller also has a host of internationals he has nominated for The Metropolitan and include European imports Abdon, Alward, Brimham Rocks, Carzoff, High Bridge, Jake’s Hill, Naval Warfare, One Foot In Heaven, Opposition and Raqeeq as well as Japanese import Satono Rasen.

The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig also have a strong representation with Australian Cup winner Harlem heading their ten nominations.

The James Cummings trained Avilius has been posted as the early top pick at $4 with Ladbrokes.com.au and has had two runs for the stable for two wins since arriving from Europe.

The five year old carried the Godolphin royal blue colours to victory in a 1600m BenchMark 91 Handicap at Randwick on August 4 followed by a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Premier’s Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on August 25.

Cummings has also nominated Irish import Mr Moonlight Magic ($41) for the 2018 The Metropolitan.

The David Payne trained Ace High is also prominent in The Metropolitan early betting at $10 and the 2017 Victoria Derby winner showed that he is on the way back to his best form with a solid second to the Waller trained Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten in last Saturday’s Chelmsford Stakes.

The weights for 2018 The Metropolitan will be released on Monday September 10 and the final field will be declared on Tuesday September 25.

Early betting for the 2018 The Metropolitan at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4 Avilius, $6 Unforgotten, $8 Egg Tart, $10 Ace High, Sedanzer, $12 Grunt, Hiyaam, Libran, $16 Auvray, Big Duke, Harlem, Our Venice Beach, Sir Charles Road, Trap For Fools, $21 One Foot In Heaven, Opposition, The Lord Mayor, Ventura Storm, Wall Of Fire, $26 Satono Rasen, Abdon, All Too Soon, Ambitious, Brimham Rocks, Cabezza De Vaca, Carzoff, Dark Eyes, Harper’s Choice, Harrison, Midterm, Miss Admiration, Mr Garcia, Oregon’s Day, Single Gaze, Vengeur Masque, $34 or better the rest.

Nominations for the 2018 The Metropolitan (2400m)

# Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 6x0022x4x2 ABDON (GB) G 6 Chris Waller 87
2 1x55462x02 ACE HIGH H 4 David Payne
3 672970×005 ADMIRAL JELLO G 6 Kris Lees
4 x843320x68 AL HARAM (FR) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
5 1x1120x518 ALL TOO SOON M 4 David Payne 84
6 24x32267x3 ALWARD (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 96
7 5x0x92834x AMBITIOUS (JPN) H 7 Anthony Freedman
8 27x56164x5 AUVRAY (FR) G 8 Richard Freedman 109
9 11x3326x11 AVILIUS (GB) G 5 James Cummings 103
10 24112×0873 AZURO (FR) G 5 Darren Weir
11 5021443×00 BIG DUKE (IRE) G 7 Darren Weir
12 1021x22x33 BRIMHAM ROCKS (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 86
13 1x11820x50 CABEZA DE VACA G 7 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
14 34157×2441 CARZOFF (FR) G 6 Chris Waller
15 11x7389x00 CLASSIC UNIFORM G 6 Gary Moore
16 5651111×09 CORDERO G 5 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
17 60×7298842 DARK EYES G 6 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
18 63×0513206 DESTINY’S KISS G 10 Joseph Pride
19 x332120x96 DOMED M 5 John P Thompson 80
20 0x400521x5 EGG TART M 5 Chris Waller
21 274340×000 EMBLEY G 7 Bjorn Baker 94
22 14111251×7 ETAH JAMES (NZ) M 6 Matt Cumani
23 27019×2761 EXCELSIOR H 4 Gwenda Markwell 69
24 532x108x04 GOATHLAND (IRE) G 7 Kim Waugh 85
25 3x1111x58 GRUNT (NZ) H 4 Mick Price
26 4131x590x9 HANS HOLBEIN (GB) G 7 Liam Howley
27 x900x6x60x HAPPY MOMENT (JPN) H 9 Anthony Freedman
28 67x28167x0 HARLEM (GB) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
29 03×9724115 HARPER’S CHOICE G 5 Gerald Ryan
30 x140x621x4 HARRISON (GB) G 6 Liam Howley
31 119x31x0x1 HIGH BRIDGE (GB) G 8 Chris Waller 72
32 2343x312x6 HIYAAM (NZ) M 4 Mick Price
33 213x HUSH WRITER (JPN) H 4 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
34 5333x1x618 JAAMEH (IRE) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
35 2134x74x97 JAKE’S HILL (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 74
36 4111×51270 JUST SHINE (NZ) G 6 Clare Cunningham 83
37 6369×00640 KELLSTORM (IRE) H 6 Darren Weir
38 164x362x53 KILIMANJARO (IRE) G 7 Liam Howley
39 1424318×13 LETTER TO JULIETTE M 5 Garry White 79
40 528x420x83 LIBRAN (IRE) G 8 Chris Waller
41 6321×99574 MASTER ZEPHYR (GB) G 7 Darren Weir
42 36164x0x02 MIDTERM (GB) G 6 Liam Howley
43 2741x780x0 MIGHTY BOSS H 4 Mick Price
44 1224×64317 MIRIMAR (IRE) G 5 Michael Moroney
45 x419337x35 MISS ADMIRATION M 4 Mick Price
46 4x57x15x82 MR GARCIA (GB) G 6 Darren Weir
47 63x27314x0 MR MOONLIGHT MAGIC (GB) H 6 James Cummings
48 x8914228x6 NAVAL WARFARE (IRE) G 5 Chris Waller 89
49 7433923×39 NETTOYER M 5 Wendy Roche
50 5525x546x5 NEW TIPPERARY G 6 Joseph Pride 93
51 1131119×4 NORTHWEST PASSAGE G 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 98
52 2x203x60x8 ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN (IRE) R 7 Chris Waller
53 17424x02x6 OPPOSITION (GB) G 6 Chris Waller 74
54 x222415x55 OREGON’S DAY M 5 Mick Price
55 x3110328x2 OUR VENICE BEACH (IRE) H 5 Liam Howley
56 14×0075673 OUTRAGED G 7 Kelly Schweida
57 13114656×6 PATRICK ERIN (NZ) G 7 Chris Waller 97
58 0151330×00 PERIBSEN (IRE) H 6 John O’Shea 90
59 x93x5880x0 PILOTE D’ESSAI (GB) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
60 511×824116 PIONEERTOWN (IRE) G 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
61 13173x5x60 POETIC DREAM (IRE) H 5 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
62 9063431×00 PRINCE CHERI (FR) H 10 John O’Shea 96
63 514×521485 RAQEEQ (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 77
64 2x11x5x0x0 RED CARDINAL (IRE) G 7 Darren Weir
65 4332230×02 ROMANESQUE (IRE) H 6 Jarrod McLean
66 1x0658x077 SALSONIC G 5 Jason Coyle 88
67 2x38x947x0 SATONO RASEN (JPN) H 7 Chris Waller
68 122x9131x4 SEDANZER M 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
69 93x7x52113 SIKANDARABAD (IRE) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
70 x43462L1x3 SIN TO WIN (NZ) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
71 20x22525x0 SINGLE GAZE M 6 Chris Waller
72 3314513×01 SIR CHARLES ROAD G 5 Lance O’Sullivan & Andrew Scott
73 0000×00763 TALL SHIP (IRE) G 8 Darren Weir
74 1416400×01 THE LORD MAYOR (NZ) G 4 Chris Waller 85
75 11116×6321 TRAP FOR FOOLS G 5 Jarrod McLean
76 11x0121x61 UNFORGOTTEN M 4 Chris Waller
77 8x3203860x US ARMY RANGER (IRE) G 6 Liam Howley
78 x110x81112 VALAC (IRE) G 7 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
79 98121x05x4 VENGEUR MASQUE (IRE) G 7 Michael Moroney
80 0x437829x7 VENTURA STORM (IRE) G 6 David & B Hayes & T Dabernig
81 x6248x220x WALL OF FIRE (IRE) H 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace

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