![Sam Clipperton celebrates his biggest win since returning to riding as Juja Kibo claims The Metropolitan at Randwick. [Bradley Photos]](https://betsy.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2370859.jpg)
Juja Kibo has already achieved more than expected this campaign, but trainer Ciaron Maher would like to think he is not done yet.
The imported six-year-old will run in this Saturday’s $750,000 Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) at Sandown.
The Belardo gelding is tackling it after playing his part in Maher’s historic Melbourne Cup trifecta, edged out of second placing by Zahrann 3-3/4 lengths astern runaway winner Point Of Law.
That followed wins in the Moonee Valley Cup (2500m) and The Metropolitan (2400m) at Group 2 level and while most of the Melbourne Cup runners have headed for a spell, Maher sees no reason to pull up stumps with Juja Kibo.
“He bounced through it really well,” Maher said of his Melbourne Cup recovery.
“He just keeps raising the bar, he gets a bit better each time he steps out and he’s been on a bit of a whirlwind this prep.”
Juja Kibo’s only two runs before The Metropolitan this campaign resulted in a third placing in the Rowley Mile (1600m) and a second placing in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m).
He becomes the first Melbourne Cup placegetter to progress to the Zipping Classic since Spanish Mission, who was unplaced as a $1.40 favourite in the 2021 Zipping Classic after a third placing in the Melbourne Cup.
Twelve of the past 25 Zipping Classic winners have come out of the Melbourne Cup and Juja Kibo is not the only member of this year’s beaten brigade heading to Sandown.
Knight’s Choice, the 2024 Melbourne Cup winner, is heading there after his 12th placing, along with Strictly Business (18th), Vauban (last) and Juja Kibo’s stablemate Middle Earth, who finished 10th in the Melbourne Cup.
Maher said Middle Earth, who finished third in the Melbourne Cup 12 months before Juja Kibo, was unsuited by the way the Melbourne Cup was run and still has gas in the tank.
“He came out of it really well,” he said.
“He overdid it. (Royal) Supremacy went a nice tempo, but the rest of the field didn’t and that didn’t really suit him, so he didn’t have much of a run.”
Mark Zahra, who rode Middle Earth in the Melbourne Cup, jumps off to partner hot favourite Small Fry in the Zipping Classic, paving the way for Ethan Brown to be reunited with the horse he rode in last year’s Melbourne Cup.
Middle Earth will jump from barrier five with Juja Kibo, who will again be ridden by Sam Clipperton drawn the inside alley.
