A field of the season’s best stayers will face off at Royal Randwick in Saturday’s 2017 The Metropolitan, a comprehensive form guide analysis and betting preview on the handicap clash detailed below.

Antonio Giuseppe is drawn the most successful barrier in Saturday’s 2017 The Metropolitan field from the past 30 years. Photo: Steve Hart.

Eleven gallopers remain in the mix for Randwick Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEST) on Epsom Handicap Day after the early scratching of the widely-drawn Amralah (12) from the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m).

Updated The Metropolitan betting odds at Ladbrokes.com.au are making it a tough one for punters with half the field under $10 for the win.

Current co-favourites at an equal $5 for the win are the Chris Waller-trained Libran ($5) and his stablemate Antonio Giuseppe, two of the four runners for the stable.

Libran carries 57kg, but the bookies are taking no chances on the proven stayer who has won three of his five starts at the distance and who beat a similar field in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) a fortnight ago.

Antonio Giuseppe was second past the post in that lead-up and is firming in The Metropolitan odds to go one better stepping up to the mile and a half for the first time since his second in this race last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.

Below we take a look over the full The Metropolitan Handicap 2017 form guide, betting history and race statistics to sort the genuine contenders from the pretenders in a wide open edition of the race.

2017 The Metropolitan Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s The Metropolitan winner was the John Thompson-trained Sir John Hawkwood who came off a second in the Kingston Town Stakes and carried 54kg to victory from barrier 6 (of 13) with Blake Spriggs aboard the then eight-year-old
• Sir John Hawkwood (2016) was the second The Metropolitan winner in three years to come off a Kingston Town Stakes lead-up run along with Opinion (10^th in 2014)
• This year #1 Libran ($5) is out to do the Kingston Town Stakes – The Metropolitan double
• The other Kingston Town Stakes graduates in The Metropolitan field are: Antonio Giuseppe (2^nd), Life Less Ordinary (3^rd), Who Shot Thebarman (4^th) and Chocante (7^th)
• #1 Libran is allocated the equal 57kg top weight in The Metropolitan 2017 along with the also Waller-trained #2 Who Shot Thebarman ($12)
• Hayai (57.5kg in 1984) for his second win in the race was the last The Metropolitan winner to salute carrying more than 56.5kg
• This year Chris Waller saddles-up four The Metropolitan horses with #1 Libran, #2 Who Shot Thebarman, #6 Antonio Giuseppe and #9 Life Less Ordinary looking for his third win in the race
• The other previous The Metropolitan winning trainers with a runner this weekend are: Gai Waterhouse (38-8-4-3) who has won the race nine times and saddles up #8 Broadside ($8) and Robert Hickmott (3-1-1-0) with #10 Foundry ($7.50)

• The previous The Metropolitan winning jockeys with a ride on Saturday are: Hugh Bowman (5-1-0-0) on #2 Who Shot Thebarman ($12) and Corey Brown (13-2-1-0) on #7 Chocante ($11),
• #6 Antonio Giuseppe ($5) ran second in The Metropolitan quinella last spring
• The other The Metropolitan runner from 2016 in the field again on Saturday is Who Shot Thebarman (7^th)
• Last year’s The Metropolitan winning barrier (6) has produced three of the past eight winners and is drawn this year by #5 Big Duke ($6)

• The most successful The Metropolitan barrier (since 1983) producing six winners is gate four drawn this year by #6 Antonio Giuseppe
• Since 2005 the only The Metropolitan winner to come off a lead-up win was Glencadam Gold (2012) who completed the Newcastle Gold Cup – The Metropolitan double
• #8 Broadside is out to do the Newcastle Gold Cup – The Metropolitan double in 2017 but has had a subsequent run when 3^rd in the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) on September 24
• Herculian Prince (5^th in 2010) was the latest The Metropolitan winner to come directly off a run the Saturday before in the Colin Stephen Quality
• Coco Cobanna (2000) was the last mare to win The Metropolitan and triple figure roughie #12 My Diamantine ($101) is the only mare in the mix this year
• Since 2005 just two favourites in The Metropolitan betting have saluted for the punters
• Equal $5 favourites in the latest The Metropolitan 2017 odds are #1 Libran and #6 Antonio Giuseppe
• Six-year-olds have dominated The Metropolitan results from the past decade with five wins since 2008
• The 6YOs out to frank that form again this year are: #5 Big Duke, #8 Broadside and #9 Life Less Ordinary
• #2 Who Shot Thebarman and #3 Destiny’s Kiss ($26) are out to win the race as nine-year-olds
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #8 Broadside (43%) followed by #5 Big Duke (38%) and #6 Antonio Giuseppe (38%)
• The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #5 Big Duke (75%) followed by #7 Chocante (71%) and #8 Broadside (71%)

• The horses with the best winning form over the Randwick track are: #3 Destiny’s Kiss (24-5-2-5), #1 Libran (9-3-1-1), #8 Broadside (3-1-1-1) and #5 Big Duke (2-1-0-1)
• The horses with the best winning strike rate over the distance (2400m) are: #3 Destiny’s Kiss (11-5-1-2), #11 Loresho (3-3-0-), #1 Libran (5-3-0-0), #2 Who Shot Thebarman (9-2-1-0) and #5 Big Duke (3-2-1-0)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our insider The Metropolitan 2017 betting tips, checking out the full race form guide provided by Ladbrokes.com.au below in the meantime.