Conditions will be very testing at Naas today and given the stiff finish up there, I'm keen to have Metaphorical on side in the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden at 12.30.
I really liked the look of this son of No Nay Never at Gowran Park recently and he ran a big race to finish third in what I'm sure was a strong contest over seven furlongs, initially looking green and slow to get organised before picking up really well in the closing stages.
The winner - another trained by Aidan O'Brien - is a horse called Sandhurst and he looks a smart prospect for next year while the runner-up, Flying Visit, came out and won a Group Three at Leopardstown only a few days later.
Colin Keene has been booked to ride Apollo Thirteen for the same stable, but I think Seamus Heffernan is on the right one here and I loved the way this fella appeared to be learning on the job at Gowran before coming home strongly once the penny had dropped.
He looks a typical O'Brien improver and though this drop back in trip might not appear ideal, six furlongs on heavy ground at Naas takes plenty of getting given they are climbing for the final two furlongs, and with a high draw no bad thing when ground does turn at this track, I'd expect Metaphorical to come into his own late on.
As long as he can lay up with them early, which I think he can, he looks to hold strong claims and a win only bet at 11/2 makes plenty of appeal.
We put Raise You up at a big price at Leopardstown last time but for all he ran well that day, I thought stablemate Fame And Acclaim made more appeal at the prices when they line up in the Glencairn Stakes (1.30).
This is a horse who started the season rated 82, but he has improved to a mark of 101 thanks to three victories and a career-best when third in Listed company at Cork last time.
I actually think he deserves marking up for that run given he made up plenty of ground in the closing stages on a day when closers were at a disadvantage. The winner, Keats, is a smart prospect in his own right who was sold to race in Australia this week while those in an around Fame And Acclaim are solid performers at this level.
While the going was described as Soft when he won at Punchestown in September, the jockeys were reporting it to be heavy that day and as such, conditions here should be fine for a horse who has improved all season but might still not have reached his ceiling just yet.
At 14/1, he more than warrants an each-way investment.
Finally, Vocito is an interesting runner in the Naas Nursery Handicap (2.35) and despite already shortening up in the market, still makes at appeal at 16/1 with most firms paying four places each-way.
Jim Bolger's apparent second string has plenty of good form on Heavy ground - he was third to Wembley in testing conditions back in August - while he ran with plenty of credit when second at Cork in similarly bad ground and again when third in a Premier Nursery at Listowel.
He really caught my eye last time when badly checked three furlongs out at Leopardstown and did well to recover from that and eventually finish seventh when not beaten far at the line.
He might well have gone close to winning without that interference, and can certainly be upgraded for that effort, and I'm hoping he can put his proven stamina to good use today and run a big race.
- Posted at 1150 GMT on 01/11/2020
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