Certify to make Godolphin appearance at Dubai’s Meydan Racecourse

The filly, banned for being administered banned substance by disgraced trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni, has been entered for the Cape Verdi race on Thursday.

Certify could have her first outing since September 2012 on Thursday after the unbeaten Godolphin filly was entered for the Cape Verdi race on the card at Meydan Racecourse alongside seven others yesterday.

Certify was last seen in public when she won the Group 1 Shadwell Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, England, and was considered the most likely winner of last season’s English 1,000 Guineas. She was found to have been administered anabolic steroids by disgraced former trainer Mahmoud Al Zarooni, which led to a ban from racing for six months, and she was saved for a campaign in Dubai by Marmoom Stables trainer Charlie Appleby.

Certify is likely to be joined in the 1,600-metre turf contest by Saeed bin Suroor’s Shuruq, who won Round 1 of the Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan on the opening night of the Dubai World Cup Carnival 19 days ago.

Bin Suroor oversaw a four-furlong piece of work under the guidance of Kieren Fallon at Al Quoz on Sunday, and Godolphin suggested after the training run that Thursday’s race would be the most likely target among a host of big-race options.

Bin Suroor has also entered Tasaday, while Flotilla, the French 1,000 Guineas winner, is a confirmed runner for Mikel Delzangles.

The Cape Verdi was upgraded to Group 2 level in 2011.

Bin Suroor has won the race twice since, with Aspectoflove in 2011 and the impressive Sajjhaa, who went on to win the Dubai Duty Free on World Cup night last season.

Meydan also stages the Group 2 Al Rashidiya, an 1,800m turf event which could see Steeler – also trained by Appleby – have his second run back from his ban after he put in an eye-catching run behind Shuruq on his comeback.

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