Racing: Scattergun fails to hit target this time but Metropolitan still on horizon

SYDNEY - Former New Zealand trainer Brian Smith says his promising young stayer Scattergun is on track for the Metropolitan Handicap despite only running fifth in the Kingston Town Stakes at Rosehill, Sydney, on Saturday.

A muddling pace turned the 2000m event into a sprint home and that didn't suit back runners such as Scattergun or race favourites Activation and Oh Oklahoma.

"It was his first run in Sydney and I was very proud of the horse," Smith said after the race.

"He did everything right and showed he was up to the Sydney company.

"They got home their last three [furlongs, 600m] in 34.6sec, so being five and six deep on the turn, he's run close to 34."

Smith is aiming Scattergun, a Zabeel gelding, at the group one A$600,000 ($680,000) Metropolitan (2400m) on October 7, but the horse will have to perform well at his next start to make the field.

"He won't get in the Metropolitan yet as he didn't run a place on Saturday so we will try to get through in the Queen's Cup and see how we go from there."

The Queen's Cup is a group three 2400m event at Randwick on September 30.

Scattergun is owned by Aucklander Peter Mitchell and races in the colours of Mitchell's mighty galloper, Bonecrusher.

Another former New Zealand trainer, Chris Waller, could have a Spring Championship Stakes candidate in All Black Gold, an easy winner of a class 3 1400m handicap at Rosehill.

Waller said All Black Gold hadn't been suited by recent wet tracks in Sydney and relished a firm surface on Saturday.

The group one A$400,000 Spring Championship Stakes (2000m) for three-year-olds is at Randwick on October 7.

- NZPA