4 Venues, 4 Wins - Certainly a Group 3 Girl
3 March, 2024
With a big performance to justify favouritism, Certainly (3 f Savabeel – Frankly, by Pins) won the $150,000 Mainstream Plumbing Mufhasa Stakes (Gr. 3, 1400m) on Derby Day (2 March) at Ellerslie.
Impressive winning her Maiden over 1400 metres in December at Matamata, Certainly ran the fastest last 600m (34.0) for a close sixth to stable-mate Quintessa (Shamus Award) in the Levin Classic (Gr. 1, 1600m) on 13 January at Trentham, and was strong late for third when dropping back in the Special Conditions 1200 metres on 10 February at Te Rapa.
With stable rider Opie Bosson aboard, Certainly was midfield on the inner before tracking second-placed Moet Down (Pierro) through at the 200m and she kept on quickening to gain her measure near the line.
“She travelled beautifully throughout and I had the right horse in front of me to take me into the race,” Bosson said.
“We had to find a bit of room in the straight, but she just kept coming up underneath me.
“She’s really willing and I think stepping up to a mile is going to be ideal for her.
“It’s my first win on the StrathAyr track, but the track is riding well should suit most horses.”
In the Waikato Stud colours (white, royal blue & emerald green, stylized logo), Certainly ran 1400 metres in 1:23.9, last 600m in 34.3, on Good4 footing, and paid $3.60 & $1.60 on the NZ TAB tote.
In the previous race, Sunline Vase (Gr. 3, 2100m), Bosson rode stable-mate Qali Al Farrasha (Almanzor) into second, and said: “I think we’ll have to put the blinkers back on, because she got to them and just started pricking her ears and having a look around.”
“So blinkers back on, she should be spot on for the New Zealand Oaks (Gr. 1, 2400m).”
By Waikato Stud eight-time Champion Sire Savabeel (Zabeel), Certainly is the fourth individual winner from Frankly (Pins), the winner of four races to 1600 metres, and from the family of New Zealand Horse of the Year Waikato Stud Champion Sire O’Reilly (Last Tycoon), along with dual Group One winner Madison County (Pins).
“Three back on the fence I thought we were in a little bit of trouble, but Opie gave her a brilliant ride and the splits came and fair play to the filly, she was really good to the line,” said co-trainer Sam Bergerson, following the 18th domestic stakes' win for Te Akau this season.
“She’s shown us plenty at home. We’ve always thought a lot of her and hopefully she can go on with it and, potentially, she could now head to our Melbourne stable. She’s certainly keeps improving.
“There is a race for three-year-old fillies over a mile at Moonee Valley, but we’ll have a team talk with Mark (Walker) and the Chitticks.”
The race in mind is the $200,000 Alexandra Stakes (Gr. 3, 1600m) for three-year-old fillies on Saturday 23 March at Moonee Valley.
As the most successful buyer of Savabeel (Zabeel) progeny, Te Akau principal David Ellis CNZM said:
“Jack Newman is here representing the Chittick family and Waikato Stud and to have a winner for them on Derby Day is fantastic.
“We love training horses for Waikato Stud. They are really supportive of Te Akau, give us these lovely fillies to train, and every time you’ve got a Savbeel that comes into the stable it’s an exciting day because he’s just such a great sire.
“With our stable now in Australia, it’s exciting for owners like Garry and Mark (Chittick) to keep fillies like Certainly and Skew Wiff within the Te Akau system and try and compete for black type in Australia, because it means so much for their futures in the Waikato Stud broodmare band.
“We've achieved Australian black type for Skew Wiff with her impressive Group 3 win on Melbourne Cup day and there's more to come from her. Now Certainly will likely join her to chase those stakes' races too.”
Certainly was strapped by Rasheed Alam.
Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz