Certain Lad

Certain Lad is eight years old now, but he ran a big race at a big price to finish fourth in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury on Saturday. Weak in the market beforehand, he travelled up well on the near side in the home straight, he looked a threat as they raced to the two-furlong marker. He couldn’t get to the front three, but he kept on all the way to the line, going down by a total of just two and a half lengths in the end to the winner Hamish.

It was a good return to action by Jack Channon’s horse. He finished off last season on an upward curve, he won good 10-furlong handicaps at York and at Doncaster, both on soft ground. He is up to a mark of 108 now, but this run in Group 3 company proved that that mark doesn’t flatter him. He goes well on soft ground, but he has good form on good ground too, and the fact that he seemed to see out the 12-furlong trip well enough could open up more options for him this season. His best form is at York and at Haydock, and he will be of interest when he goes back to one of those tracks.

Newbury, 20^th April 2024