Cape Metropolitan Stakes
The Cape Metropolitan Stakes, currently named the Sun Met (and previously known as the J&B Met) is a Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race run on the turf at Kenilworth Racecourse in Cape Town, South Africa.[1] It is run over 2000m. It was first run in 1883 as the Metropolitan Mile.[2]
| Grade One race | |
| Location | Kenilworth Racecourse Cape Town, South Africa |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1883 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | sunmet |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 2,000 metres |
| Surface | Turf |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Purse | R5 Million |
It is considered one of the three main feature races in South Africa, alongside the Vodacom Durban July, and the Summer Cup.[3]
Sponsors
J&B Whiskey (part of the Diageo group at the time) were sponsors of the Cape Metropolitan Stakes from 1977 to 2016.[4] The stake pot offered by the company was R40,000, making it a record purse for a race at the time.[5] The race was commonly referred to as the J&B Met during their rein as sponsors.
In 2017 Sun International became sponsors of the race, with it being referred to as the Sun Met.[6]
World Sports Betting (WSB) a South African sports and live games betting site took over sponsorship in 2022 and the race was renamed to the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met. Press release: https://www.sportingpost.co.za/2021/12/met-gets-a-new-sponsor/[7]
Past winners
Listed below are the past winners of the Met.[8][9]
| Edition | Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97 | 1959 | Bulbul | Colin Palm | Cookie Amos |
| 98 | 1960 | Appeal Court | ||
| 99 | 1961 | Frantic | ||
| 100 | 1962 | Jerez | Stanley Amos | Cookie Amos |
| 101 | 1963 | Polar Bear | ||
| 102 | 1964 | The Giant | Colin Palm | Cookie Amos |
| 103 | 1965 | Speciality | ||
| 104 | 1966 | Renounce | Duncan Alexander | Cookie Amos |
| 105 | 1967 | Ding Dong | James Maree | |
| 106 | 1968 | |||
| 107 | 1969 | Peter Beware | Terrance Millard | |
| 108 | 1970 | Snow Fun | Duncan Alexander | J Bell |
| 109 | 1971 | Night Off | ||
| 110 | 1972 | Force Ten | ||
| 111 | 1973 | Gold Flame | Terence D’Arcy | |
| 112 | 1974 | Yataghan | Bertie Hayden | |
| 113 | 1975 | Sledgehammer | Michael Roberts | Fred Rickaby |
| 114 | 1976 | Gatecrasher | Garth Puller | Herman Brown |
| 115 | 1977 | Bahadur | ||
| 116 | 1978 | Politician | Bertie Hayden | Syd Laird |
| 117 | 1979 | Politician | Bertie Hayden | Syd Laird |
| 118 | 1980 | Sunshine Man | Felix Coetzee | Peter Kannemeyer |
| 119 | 1981 | Queen’s Elect | ||
| 120 | 1982 | Foveros | Basil Marcus | Herman Brown snr |
| 121 | 1983 | Arctic Cove | Terrance Millard | |
| 122 | 1984 | Wolf Power | Jeff Lloyd | Ricky Maingard |
| 123 | 1985 | Charles Fortune | Grant Kotzen | Michael Airey |
| 124 | 1986 | Wild West | Greg Holme | Ralph Rixon |
| 125 | 1987 | Model Man | Basil Marcus | Patrick Lunn |
| 126 | 1988 | Mark Anthony | Felix Coetzee | Terrance Millard |
| 127 | 1989 | Fearless Streaker | Felix Coetzee | |
| 128 | 1990 | Jungle Warrior | Felix Coetzee | Eric Sands |
| 129 | 1991 | Olympic Duel | Felix Coetzee | Terrance Millard |
| 130 | 1992 | Divine Master | Jeff Lloyd | Peter Kannemeyer |
| 131 | 1993 | Empress Club | Anton Marcus | Tony Millard |
| 132 | 1994 | Pas De Quoi | Garth Puller | Peter Kannemeyer |
| 133 | 1995 | Surfing Home | Jeff Lloyd | Tony Millard |
| 134 | 1996 | La Fabulous | Robbie Fradd | Vaughan Marshall |
| 135 | 1997 | London News | Douglas Whyte | Alec Laird |
| 136 | 1998[10] | Imperious Sue | Anthony Delpech | David Payne |
| 137 | 1999 | Horse Chestnut | Waichong Marwing | Mike de Kock |
| 138 | 2000 | Badger’s Coast | Guillermo Figueroa | Mike de Kock |
| 139 | 2001 | Bunter Barlow | Glen Hatt | Mike Bass |
| 140 | 2002 | Polo Classic | Barend Vorster | Eric Sands |
| 141 | 2003 | Angus | Piere Strydom | Brett Crawford |
| 142 | 2004 | Yard-Arm | Mark Khan | Geoff Woodruff |
| 143 | 2005 | Alastor | Garth Puller | Sean Tarry |
| 144 | 2006 | Zebra Crossing | Jeff Lloyd | Neil Bruss |
| 145 | 2007 | Pocket Power | Jeff Lloyd | Mike Bass |
| 146 | 2008 | Pocket Power | Bernard Faydherbe | Mike Bass |
| 147 | 2009 | Pocket Power | Bernard Faydherbe | Mike Bass |
| 148 | 2010 | River Jetez | Glen Hatt | Mike Bass |
| 149 | 2011 | Past Master | Gerrit Schlechter | Darryl Hodgson |
| 150 | 2012 | Igugu | Anthony Delpech | Mike de Kock |
| 151 | 2013 | Martial Eagle | Aldo Domeyer | Yogas Govender |
| 152 | 2014 | Hill Fifty Four | Anton Marcus | Vaughan Marshall |
| 153 | 2015 | Futura | B Fayd'herbe | Brett Crawford |
| 154 | 2016 | Smart Call | Juan Paul V'd Merwe | Alec Laird |
| 155 | 2017 | Whisky Baron | Greg Cheyne | Brett Crawford |
| 156 | 2018 | Oh Susanna | Grant Van Niekerk | Justin Snaith |
| 157 | 2019 | Rainbow Bridge | Anton Marcus | Eric Sands |
| 158 | 2020 | One World | MJ Byleveld | Vaughan Marshall |
| 159 | 2021 | Rainbow Bridge | Luke Ferraris | Eric Sands |
| 160 | 2022 | Kommetdieding | Gavin Lerena | H W Crawford & M Rix |
References
- "Metropolitan Handicap (South Africa) Winners". www.tbheritage.com.
- "History - The Sun Met". Sun Met.
- "The J&B Met". Sporting Post.
- "The Met loses J&B as title sponsor". Sport24. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
- "Facts and figures: J&B Met". News24. Retrieved 16 January 2007.
- "Sun International unveiled as Met's new title sponsor". www.phumelela.com.
- "Met Gets a New Sponsor". 24 December 2021.
- "Past winners: J&B Met". News24. 22 January 2007.
- "The Met - Past Winners - Results - South Africa". www.racingandsports.com.
- "J&B Met". Sporting Post. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2014.