Chocante is ready to fire

Stephen Marsh has watched a replay of the Chelmsford Stakes several times but not to marvel at Red Excitement’s bold breakaway or super mare Winx’s relentless finish.

The Cambridge trainer instead focused on the third-placed horse, a stayer who exceeded his expectations at Randwick.

Chocante produced a Sydney debut that has the five-year-old among the frontrunners for the Metropolitan Handicap on September 30.

‘‘I thought the run was well above expectations. It usually takes 2000 metres to show his best,’’ Marsh said.

Chocante tackles that distance in the Kingston Town Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Marsh said Chocante struggled to figure over the mile in New Zealand and felt his Queensland campaign, highlighted by his win in the Brisbane Cup (2200m) in June, was the catalyst for dramatic improvement.

‘‘He was quite an immature type and he’s just strengthened up mentally and physically. He seems pretty much the complete package now,’’ he said.

Chocante was an $81 chance in the Chelmsford thanks to Winx’s presence, and is now the Metropolitan’s joint $11 second favourite alongside Big Duke, Life Less Ordinary and Sayed.

Antonio Giuseppe and Up ‘N’ Rolling lead the market at $8.

‘‘That’s encouraging. He’d near go to favourite if he put his hand up on Saturday,’’ Marsh said.

Blake Shinn rides Chocante on Saturday.