Just Fine must finish in the first three in the Group 1 Metropolitan Stakes at 1 1/2 miles at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Friday evening to enhance his chances to qualify for the country’s most famous race, the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 7. Conditions for the $4.97 million Melbourne Cup state that horses must have finished in the first three in group races at 1 7/16 miles or farther to be considered. The first 24 runners in the handicap rankings, aside from the winners of races with automatic berths, earn starting spots in the two-mile Melbourne Cup. Just Fine will be a massive favorite to win his third consecutive start in the $481,425 Metropolitan Stakes against 17 rivals and join the list of leading hopes for the Melbourne Cup. As of Thursday, Just Fine was 20-1 in future book betting for the Melbourne Cup. Vauban, the winner of the Copper Horse Handicap at 1 3/4 miles at Royal Ascot in England in June, and a Grade 1 winner over hurdles in England and Ireland, was the 4-1 favorite for Irish trainer Willie Mullins. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for Australian racing Just Fine, a 6-year-old Irish-bred gelding, has won his last three starts, including the Group 3 King Town Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Randwick on Sept. 16. In three starts at 1 1/2 miles in England in 2021 and 2022 for trainer Michael Stoute, Just Fine was winless, but was third at the distance in the Jorvik Handicap at York in May 2022. Just Fine joined current trainers Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse last winter. The Metropolitan Stakes is one of four major stakes on a 10-race program at Randwick that begins at 9:55 p.m. Eastern or 6:55 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com. The richest race on the program – the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at a mile – will be the trickiest to find a winner. In a full field of 20, The Inevitable was the 6-1 favorite as of Thursday to end a two-race losing streak that includes a third in the $3.32 million All Star Mile at Moonee Valley in March, and a fast-closing second by a neck in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Rosehill Gardens on Sept. 9. A winner of 16 of 31 starts, The Inevitable won six consecutive races from last November to February on the island of Tasmania. Kovalica, who is currently qualified for the Melbourne Cup, may be the second choice in the $962,500 Epsom Handicap despite a ninth by slightly less than four lengths in the Theo Marks Stakes in his first start since a win in the Group 1 Queensland Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Eagle Farm in May. Tiz Invincible will be a strong favorite to win her fourth consecutive start, and first in a Group 1, in the $481,425 Flight Stakes at a mile for Southern Hemisphere 3-year-old fillies. She drew the outside post in a field of 12 that includes Kimochi, who was second to Tiz Invincible in two Group 2 sprints earlier in September. :: Bet with the Best! Get Free DRF PPs and Cashback when you wager. Join DRF Bets. Aside from Just Fine, the shortest price in a stakes at Randwick will be Think About It who has won his last seven starts and was 6-5 in early betting for the Group 2 Premier Stakes at six furlongs. Think About It won the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap against 17 rivals at six furlongs at Eagle Farm in June as the 5-2 favorite in his latest start. The $641,700 Premier Stakes drew a field of nine, including the mares Bella Nipotina and Zapateo, who were third in group-level sprints earlier this month. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.