Certify ready for May battle
Thursday 13 September 2012
Mahmood Al Zarooni does not expect Friday's Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes at Doncaster to be in a walk in the park for his unbeaten filly Certify.
Connections admitted the filly was a surprise winner when she made an impressive debut at Newmarket in July, but she proved that was no fluke when following up on much quicker ground in the Sweet Solera Stakes, and the form was given a significant boost when the runner-up Sky Lantern landed last weekend's Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh.
"The filly is in good form and doing everything right at home. I think she is a bit stronger than her last race and hopefully she has improved," said Al Zarooni.
"It is not going to be easy for her. It looks a tough race and we will find out how good she is. Before she ran on her debut, you would say her work was average, but after that she woke up a bit at home and improved every week.
"Now I am a bit worried because when she was not working well she was running well on the track, so hopefully now it is not the other way around!"
Certify is a best-priced 16-1 for next year's 1,000 Guineas with Ladbrokes.
Mick Channon has declared the unbeaten Ollie Olga, but her participation is in some doubt, as she appears to have come into season at the wrong time.
Channon said: "We've found out she's in season, which is a nuisance, and I'm not sure she's going to run. We'll see what's happening later today and if she doesn't run, she'll probably go for the Fillies' Mile."
Tuttipaesi has joined Marco Botti having won her last three starts in Italy and the Newmarket-based trainer expects this to be her only start in Britain as she has been bought by Team Valor to run in America.
He said: "I've been happy with her since she arrived from Italy. She is ready to run and hopefully she can run well, even though it looks a very good race."
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