Tough mare Foire De Trone puts The Metropolitan on radar

Tough mare Foire De Trone showed superior staying qualities and could be set for The Metropolitan trail after her impressive win at Royal Randwick on Saturday,.

Foire De Trone finished too strongly for favourite Le Troisir to take out the Jersey Day Andrew Wisemantel Handicap (2400m).

The Ciaron Maher-trained was having her sixth start this winter and the Group 1 $750,000 The Metropolitan (2400m) is run at Royal Randwick on October 3 but the mare will be given her chance to get to the feature spring carnival staying race.

“We have been spacing her runs but it is a long way to the ‘Metrop’,” Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said.

“But we will see how she comes through today’s race but her coat is still ‘wintry’ so there is improvement to come.”

Foire De Trone ($8.50), which is named after the oldest and largest travelling fair in France, was ridden by Ethan Brown and got the better of Le Troisir ($2,30 favourite) to win by a long head with Golden Century ($17) two lengths away third.

Gerard-Dubord said Foire De Trone was coming off a win on a very heavy track at Sandown last start and she demonstrated her superior stamina to edge out Le Troisir.

“She does hit a flat spot and Ethan was very mindful of that,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“That is why he got her moving a bit sooner rather than later and I think that was the difference between winning and losing.”

Earlier on the Randwick program, favourite backers got off to a winning start when Clear Proof took out the Midway Handicap (1200m).

Clear Proof ($3.60 favourite) missed the start, was forced to travel three wide without cover a long way from home but still proved too good for Isawyou ($3.90) scoring with a winning margin of a half neck with Call Me Sassy ($11) just over a length away third.

Trainer John Thompson said Clear Proof has had ability but needed gelding to become a more genuine racehorse.

“He has to be ridden up on pace, if he gets back in the field he loses concentration,” Thompson said.

“The plan was to lead today but that went out the window when he missed the kick so he has done a good job to win.”