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By Ray Hickson

Could Metallicity be the missing piece of the Golden Slipper puzzle?

Trainer Peter Snowden (Pic: Steve Hart)

The Peter and Paul Snowden trained colt’s debut has been anticipated for several weeks on the back of a string of impressive trial performances and the covers come off in Saturday’s Coolmore Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick.

Metallicity was scheduled to make his debut in January but a stone bruise set him back a couple of weeks, one that Peter Snowden said took a little longer to settle than is ideal.

“Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes it drags on, and his dragged on for a week,’’ Snowden said.

“We were still able to do something with him so he didn’t lose a lot and we’re happy with his condition.

“The first time we worked him afterwards he was straight on the bunny, but you don’t know until they run and I’ll hold judgment until we see him race.”

Such are the raps on Metallicity he’s $1.90 with TAB to join Stay Inside, last year’s winner, on the honour roll and is already a $13 chance in the $5m Longines Golden Slipper on March 19.

Snowden is well aware of public opinion about his colt and said it’s now up to the horse to transfer what he’s done at home and in trials when the pressure is applied on race day.

“He’s pretty impressive in his trials there’s no doubt about that, we’ve always liked the horse, but until you get to the races you don’t really know,’’ he said.

“But we think he’s a nice horse. He’s got a good nature, he ticks all the boxes and as long as he takes it to the races we’re cooking with gas.

“Until you race them you don’t know but a few good judges out there think he’s above the average.”

Tommy Berry rides Metallicity and he’ll have an open book on how to navigate from barrier seven, a draw Snowden said will allow the jockey the luxury of choice.

“He has options to go forward or sit off the speed, he’s done both, Tommy knows him quite well so we’ll leave it there,’’ he said.

Snowden warns not to underestimate I Am Superman in the Group 2 $250,000 The Agency Apollo Stakes (1400m) if the track is close to good.

The six-year-old hasn’t raced since late November when runner-up to Sinawann in a Group 3 race at Caulfield and he earned a shot at the Apollo with a rousing trial performance a couple of weeks ago.

He chased home Riodini, an Apollo rival, in a 1000m heat and Snowden isn’t concerned about the outside barrier.

“I thought his trial was excellent. He’s not a horse that cops a lot of work, a few times last prep I thought we were a run short and it ended up being his best run,’’ he said.

“I wasn’t going to run but after seeing the trial I thought he’d have to be a chance. He only had a short break so he has a good bit of residual fitness in him.

“It’s a bad gate but it looks like the only other horse that goes forward is Riodini and if he can sit outside him it’ll give him a chance to run well.”

King Of Sparta is back from a win in the $2m Magic Millions Guineas (1400m) a month ago and is also in need of a relatively dry surface for a stern test at Randwick.

Snowden is hoping the speed that’s on paper in the Group 3 $160,000 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) eventuates as he feels it would suit the three-year-old coming back in distance.

Metallicity wins a trial at Rosehill on January 31

“He’s struck a strong race but the horse has always shown plenty of ability,’’ he said.

“With the freshen he's had it’s better off going to a fast run race than going to a steady run seven (1400m) where he might start pulling again.”

The Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1500m) is Mirra Vision’s aim and Snowden said that will come third-up so she needs to resume despite a wide alley in the Group 3 $160,000 Robrick Lodge Triscay Stakes (1200m).

The mare, winner of the Group 3 Angst Stakes over a mile in the spring, finished alongside I Am Superman in her Rosehill trial and Snowden is enthusiastic about her campaign.

“I thought she trialled good as well, she’s such a competitor,’’ he said.

“She has to run because where I’m going I have to get two runs into her. She looks the best she’s ever looked and is going the best she’s ever gone.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's meeting at Royal Randwick