2011 result

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Certify Confirms Class in May Hill Stakes
14/09/12

1 Certify 4/6 Fav
2 Purr Along 12/1
3 Light Up My Life 6/1
NR: Lizzie Tudor, Ollie Olga (USA), Roz
7 ran Distances: hd, 8l, ¾l
TIME 1m 38.92s (slow by 1.52s)

Mahmood Al Zarooni, trainer of Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes winner Certify, was particularly pleased with the Godolphin filly’s effort, given the way the race was run. “They went a bit of a slow pace which usually suits the one in front and makes if difficult for the ones coming from behind and closing, so I am really pleased with her and her attitude.”

Certify

Certify beat Purr Along a head and the pair came eight lengths clear of Light Up My Life. The daughter of Elusive Quality will step up next time to Group One level, either the Shadwell Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket later this month or the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp nine days later.

“The first choice would be Newmarket,” said Al Zarooni, “but we will see how she recovers and if she needs more time we will wait for France.”

Certify, now a best-priced 16/1 with Ladbrokes for next year’s 1,000 Guineas, is now unbeaten in three and was a back-to-back winner of today’s mile Group Two contest for Al Zarooni, after Lyric Of Light, and the third in a row for Godolphin, after Saeed Bin Suroor-trained White Moonstone in 2010.

“She is a really nice filly,” he said of Certify, “very relaxed and professional. She has become special in her way of going at home - there was a change after she won for the first time. She began to develop confidence and to trust in herself and her ability.”

Lyric Of Light went on to win the Shadwell Fillies’ Mile, but flopped in this year’s 1,000 Guineas and has not been seen since. “It is difficult to compare the two,” added Al Zarooni, “as at the moment Certify has done the same as the other one and has yet to win a Group One. But let us hope she turns out better.”

Simon Crisford, Godolphin racing manager, echoed Al Zarooni’s sentiments. “It ended up as a three-furlong sprint, which worked against her,” he said, “and she had to battle but Mickael [Barzalona] said she was really tough and honest in the finish.”

Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes (Fillies' Group 2) (Str)
£70,000 added, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good

SO CLOSE FOR PURR ALONG

Trainer William Muir was understandably pleased but also frustrated after 16/1 chance Purr Along went down by a head after a sustained duel with 4/6 favourite Certify in the Group Two Barrett Steel May Hill Stakes. The pair drew clear of third-placed Light Up My Life, who was a further eight lengths adrift.

Muir said: “We came here to win. We have always known she was a good filly and it was only because she was trained by William Muir that she was 16/1 today. She had already beaten the third favourite.

“She has never been an easy filly. She wasn’t ready early and has had a poxy draw each time she has run.

“What I have always said is that whatever this filly does this year is a bonus because she is not a two-year-old - she is all about next year.

“She has always run the race of her life - Wolverhampton was a walk in the park, at Sandown she was hampered so badly and should have won, while at Deauville the jockey rode a brilliant race but said that is not the way to ride her. Martin said the same. The filly is so competitive.

“The form of this race looks solid as the winner had already beaten Sky Lantern, who won the Moylare last weekend.

“We are competing in the big world with this filly. If she tells me, she could maybe have another run this year either in the Rockfel Stakes or the Prix Marcel Boussac. I listen to what the horses tell me.”